ITLOTC 8-22-14

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

(I would like to say a word of thanks to Craig for writing this blog with care and passion while I have been gone.)

Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown

Philippians 4:1

My latest Netflix has splurge has been The Wonder Years.  I remember watching it as a kid, then again my senior year of high school when I'd come home from Lindsay's house in the evenings and now I'm watching it again.  Each time it seems to teach me something new, undoubtedly true because I've changed, not the show.  The Wonder Years most notable character is Fred Savage, but I think that the show is consistently stolen by a face we never see.  Daniel Stern is character you probably best know as Marv Merchants, one of two burglars who was twice warded off by the defensive prowess of Macaulay Culkin in the Home Alone films.  But Stern is also the narrator in The Wonder Years.  He is the voice inside Kevin Arnold's head.

One reason I find Stern's role so vital to the show is because he helps see the world of Kevin vividly.  When Stern speaks, we listen.  The pitch of his voice teaches us to tune in.  When he interrupts the dialogue we know to listen closely because there's usually some kind of life lesson about to unfold.

I don't think it was intentional but at some point in my own journey I let Stern's voice become my narrator as well. Like Kevin I would rehearse life's lessons in my head and often I heard Stern making sense of things for me.  It'd be his voice that sealed the most important truths in my mind.

One of those timeless truths I learned from my father.  He used to consistently tell me that "people are your treasures."  Whenever I would be tempted to lose sight of the fact that people were what mattered most, Stern's voice would interrupt my thought pattern and remind me that "people are your treasures."

This summer I was given an incredible gift by this community.  A chance to rest.  When you rest, great things can happen.  You have time to pay attention to yourself.  You begin see more clearly.  Anxiety begins to fall away. Wounds become exposed... it's a chance to get healthier.  You see your failures more clearly... you see your successes more clearly... you are given a chance to be more honest about yourself.  You get time to see what matters.  You are given a chance to hear Stern's voice remind you that "people are your treasures."

I got to do and see so many thing this summer.  I could probably write about those experiences for a year.  I went to  Montana, Yellowstone, Canada, Italy, Switzerland, France, England, Ireland and so many places in between.  I got to see old friends.  I got to remember, process, forgive, move on, recharge, rest and renew.

Interestingly before this summer I had only ever been out of United States once.  A fishing trip to Ontario before 9-11.  It barely felt like I left the country.  Because of this I think my expectations for the places I was going were very large ... maybe even bit unrealistic.

I want to tell you about a Stern moment I had on my Europe trip.  About half way through I was in London.  By this point I had seen the best Italy had to offer including St. Pete's, Vatican City, the splendor of Rome, vast portions of the country side, Lake Como, and the southern foothills of the Alps.  I had seen most of Switzerland with it's sleek cities and breathtaking glacial lakes fixed in the Alps.  I had seen about half of London including Parliament, Westminster Cathedral and Abbey, the Shard, and St. John's Cathedral.  Towards the end of my second day in London I made my way to Buckingham palace.  It was nice.  The guards were entertaining, but to be honest it just looked like another building.  I don't blame Buckingham Palace.  I was tired, hungry and beginning to miss my family acutely.

Buckingham Palace is nestled between two beautiful municipal parks.  My exhaustion was an excuse to make my way across the street to St. James Park Lake.  There I found an interesting piece of architecture that can best be described as a fountain of sorts.  It looked like a half diamond sticking out of the ground with a thin layer of water running across it.  A few tourists had taken of their sandals to rest their feet in the fountain.  I joined them.

I was there for about 20 minutes when I noticed a little girl who began to play in the water.  And in that moment something happened to my heart.  Perhaps it was because I was missing my two little girls thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean, but in that moment the truth of Genesis 1:27 was confirmed.  It was Stern who whispered it my head "in His image he created them."

I think it is a special grace when we further understand one of God's truths.  As I watched that little girl play I realized that she had done more for my heart than any building and landscape that I had seen in Europe.  People are your treasures.

Scholars guess that Paul wrote Philippians while sitting on the floor of Roman prison cell awaiting a verdict.  We hear it in his uncertainty in chapter 1.  "I don't know if it's better to be here with you or with Jesus."  Both real possibilities for Paul.  But it is from there that he affectionately calls his community "my joy and my crown."

I never had paid much attention to Paul's salutations, but as I was away from our community with time to reflect on all of you and be thankful for you, Paul's pining began to make more sense to me and take on new life.

The people of UBC are it's greatest treasures, and I am so excited to be back with you.  See you Sunday!

This Sunday 

As our veterans know this Sunday is the first Sunday back with Baylor students.  Please be generous and eager help those who may need it.

HR and Finance Teams

We are approaching that time of year when some of our faithful members of both the human resources and finance teams are due to rotate off.  As such we are looking for capable and willing UBCers to step and replace those people.

We are looking for 1-2 new human resource team members and 1-2 new finance team members.

Interested persons in either serving or nominating another UBCer should email josh@ubcwaco.org

A description of each role and the qualifications for each have been copied form our bylaws and pasted below.

Human Resources

The Human Resources/Staff Support Team shall exist for the following purposes:

1. To establish procedures for the hiring of ministerial and non-ministerial staff, and to enact those procedures when advised by Leadership Team to do so.
2. To advise Leadership and Finance teams on issues regarding long-term staff needs.
3. To create and implement staff review procedures.
4. To advise Leadership and Finance teams on matters regarding staff compensation, benefits, grievances and termination.
5. To be a liaison between the congregation and staff during times of conflict after all attempts at personal, one-on-one resolution has been made.

• HR/Staff Support Team members shall have been an active participant in the life of UBC for no less than one year, have received a bachelor’s degree (or roughly an equivalent amount of experience in personnel management, ministry, or other related field,) and have a demonstrable understanding of organizational management.

Finance 

Purpose. The Finance Team shall exist for the following purposes:

1. To serve as the primary advisory group for the Leadership Team in all budgetary and financial aspects of the church.
2. To oversee, in coordination with the ministerial staff, yearly budgetary processes, working to create a financial ministry plan in alignment with the ethos, mission and values of UBC.
3. To advise the staff and Leadership Team on any emergency financial matters that may arise with regards to the physical infrastructure of the church building, as well as those matters pertaining to compensation and benefits of personnel.
4. To assess the current financial status of the church on a monthly basis and advise the staff and Leadership Team on matters concerning changes in planned ministry expenses.
5. To advise the Human Resources/Staff Support team on all financial matters regarding new and existing personnel, including available resources concerning salaries, salary increases, insurance, taxes, etc.
6. To advise the church body on all matters relating to stewardship, financial integrity, etc.

• Qualifications.  Finance Team members shall have been an active participant in the life of UBC for at least a year, have received at least a bachelors degree level of education (or roughly an equivalent amount of experience in business or finance,) and have at least a basic understanding of financial reports and budgets.

Work is Worship 8-24-14

Mug Cleaners: Kayla Larvins & Michael Scott

Greeters: Paul & Linda Taft

Coffee Makers: Logan & Allyson Bayer

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson: kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers: kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite: david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Jamie McGregor: jameson.mcgregor@gmail.com

Byron Roldan: Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter: terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC. August 15, 2014...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

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Secrets

When I was younger, I loved the story of God choosing Samuel. Not because I had any particular desire of being like Samuel, or even knew much about his story. But what I did know was that within this call narrative was the statement that "man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7.)  This is clearly a verse that appeals more to younger people, whose hearts haven't had much time to become cluttered and dark. For the rest of us, we can at least take comfort in knowing that God doesn't take outward appearances too much into account. (Unless you are Evangeline Lilly or Brad Pitt, in which case you should probably be a little frustrated.)

Earlier this summer I spent a few days with my friend Mark from Baltimore, who was on sabbatical from his pastoral role at his church. We went on a "Beer and BBQ Tour" of Central Texas, talking shop in the car along the way. We both spoke fondly of our churches, as well as being candid about those things we are not too fond of. We talked about the treasure of being in a position unique to all professions-- where we are invited into the most sacred moments of people's lives, from when they enter this world to when they enter the next. Their baptisms, graduations, marriages and the birth of their own children. But we also remembered that we are thankful for being invited into the dark moments as well-- the sickness, abuse, marital strife, secret sins and struggles, the anger. In fact, these can seem more special than the others, because we are sometimes the only people invited into these moments.

And we both laughed at this experience, common to pastors: We see someone at church who acts more strange around us than they did the week before, and we can't quite put our finger on why this is so. We go home and wonder, what was up with that person today? It was as if he/she was embarrassed to be around us. And then we remember: Between those Sundays that person told us of some secret they have, or we mediated a conflict between them and their spouse or roommate, or we found out that they fell into the trap of (whatever) again, for the thousandth time. And then we get it: They think that when we are looking at them, we are seeing those things, the things that are on the inside, not the outward appearances.

Mark joked that "If, when I looked out on my congregation, all I saw were the secrets I knew about each of them, I'd be running out of the building like it was on fire, screaming and pulling my hair out." (Imagine if we were Catholic priests, who congregants are required to go to and share all their secrets.)

We know too many secrets, and have enough of our own, for them to be what we think about when we see you on a Sunday morning.

This is why, aside from professional counselors, the people probably least surprised by the tragic death of Robin Williams this week were pastors. Because, in addition to what we know by experience about the unseen parts of people lives, we also know from experience that those with the most crippling insides are often those that bring the most joy and happiness to people on the outside. 

Which brings me to this-- You should know that whatever you are dealing with, those feelings on the inside, are, in the words of the Mr. Rogers video we watch every year, mentionable. In the "old days," mental illness and other hidden issues almost always a death sentence. Lon Williams, the Father of Hank Williams Sr., was a perfect example. After returning from WWI with PTSD symptoms (known then simply as "shellshock,") his wife couldn't handle the burden so she sent him away to a veteran's hospital to live out the rest of his days, and she told anyone who asked that he had died.

(Whew! On my last day of writing the newsletter, I finally found a place to work in a Hank Williams reference.)

You may feel like what you are dealing with is reason to be sent away, or to spend your days in seclusion. If that is the case, know that you are not alone. Aside from asking people where they see God at work in their situation, this is my favorite thing to tell people who are struggling-- That they are not the only ones dealing with whatever they are dealing with. In fact, they are not the only ones at UBC, dealing with it, and are probably not the only ones in their circle of friends who are dealing with it either. This knowledge often brings slivers of hope that were not present before.

So, if you are dealing with depression and can't see any way out;

If you can't get along with your spouse and think this may be the end;

If you've clicked that website or thought that thought a thousand times too many;

If you are struggling with homosexuality, or if you are struggling with following Jesus in the midst of a community that labels your sexuality a "struggle;"

If breaking cycles set in place decades ago seems futile;

If you are crippled by jealousy, envy or hate...

Know this-- We are a community that values honesty, truth and authenticity. So find someone here you trust, and let it all out. And hear these words from pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber:

“...God's grace to me is that my brokenness is not the final word ... it's that God makes beautiful things out of even my own crap." (not the actual word she used.) "Grace isn't about God creating humans and then acting all hurt when we inevitably fail and then stepping in like the hero to grant us grace - like saying, "Oh, it's OK, I'll be the good guy and forgive you." It's God saying, "I love the world too much to let your sin" (or secrets, I would add) "define you and be the final word. I am a God who makes all things new.”

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HELP NEEDED-- TODAY

We are in the final stages of garage sale prep, and could use a LOT of hands helping us sort and price today. I (Craig) will probably be here until later this evening. If you have any amount of time to give, we have plenty of ways to help you spend it.

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Garage Sale-- TOMORROW

Because of Baylor students moving back to town and parents doing school-shopping, this garage sale is turning out to be a HUGE deal. If you haven't already signed up for a slot to work, PLEASE email craig@ubcwaco.org and let me know he hours you can give. As I said last week in the announcements, because many of our congregants are folks with little to no (to negative) income, the Garage Sale is the single most important fundraising activity we do every year, and we need all hands on deck.

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Work is Worship: August 17th

Betsy and Jana will be cleaning up coffee mugs after the service, but we need folks to make coffee beforehand and to greet.

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For Parents

Emily would like for you to keep the art projects your kids have been working on this summer at church and bring them back by AUGUST 24TH. On August 31st we will have an Art Gallery featuring these masterpieces. If you have any questions, email emily@ubcwaco.org.

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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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson: kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers: kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite: david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Jamie McGregor: jameson.mcgregor@gmail.com

Byron Roldan: Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter: terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@gmail.com

ITLOTC. August 8, 2014...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

June 15, 2014

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

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Diversity and Disagreement

I could be accused, probably fairly, of writing about UBC's diversity in an amount that is disproportionate to other distinctive aspects of our congregation. I do this for a couple of reasons. First, it is one of the things I love the most about our community. Conventional wisdom assumes that in order for a church (or any group, for that matter,) to thrive, there needs to be singular vision and belief. The largest, most "successful" (see what I did there?) churches are usually those whose preacher stands up to the pulpit and says "This is what the Bible means. This is what God wants. There is no other way you can see this." He promises either a life of prosperity or pain (which is followed by an eternity of prosperity) if only you will understand and apply all this.

This is not us.

Second, I believe it is only fair for us all to know that there is a wide range of belief on important matters at the FRONT END of our engagement, so that when disagreements arise, we are not shell-shocked. I don't want someone to jump into the life of UBC because they think they know what we all believe, and then some time later hear something and say, dismayed, "Wait, someone here believes THAT?!" It is only fair to make it known at the beginning that yes, whatever "that" is, there is probably at least a few people at UBC, some in leadership, who believes it.

After BJ Parker's sermon on Sunday, our congregation participated in the exercise of theological diversity. Several asked themselves and each other some version of "Wait, someone here believes That?!" There was great conversation being held on many levels around town. One such conversation partner was David Wilhite, who has written the following response to the close of BJ's sermon...

UBC is a place that cherishes diversity and community. On Monday, I sat down with BJ, and – with Craig moderating – we talked through the conclusion of this past Sunday’s sermon.   We needed to talk because the summative statement of a provocative (and up to this point, excellent!) sermon on God’s radical love left many ubc-ers with the impression that apostasy – denying Christ – is acceptable, justifiable, and maybe even the best option under certain circumstances. I absolutely defend BJ’s right to explore the radical love of God, a love so audacious that God will forgive even apostasy. However, the church throughout the last two thousand years has sent – with no equivocation – her children forward as martyrs and never approved apostasy in any form. I was concerned about our community condoning a sermon about apostasy as an acceptable option for Christians enduring persecution and torture. So, BJ and I sat down and discussed these issues both in the historical church and today.

 At the end of it all, we still disagreed. I don’t think any form of apostasy should be condoned; BJ thinks a sermon should proclaim God’s unending love in a way that challenges all preconceptions about forgiveness and salvation. Even though we still disagreed, we prayed, we hugged (bro-hug, with the back-pats), and we left as closer friends than when we started. ubc remains a community: diverse, flawed people united in Christ.

 But now, “What then shall we say to these things?” (Rom. 8:31a). In our meeting, it was BJ who suggested that I write a response for the ubc blog, and so he is to be credited with having such confidence and such humility.   I will endeavor here to present the case for proclaiming, not denying Christ, even when undergoing torture or persecution.

 I begin with an example:

 Sitting in a dungeon in the year 203, Felicity, a slave from North Africa, listened to her tormenters. They insulted her weakness as a woman (she was giving birth to her daughter in the cell), and they laughed at the agony she would have to face the next day when fed to the beasts in the Roman arena. Felicity answered, “Now, I alone suffer what I am suffering, but then there will be Another inside me, who will suffer for me.” Felicity and her fellow martyrs belong to a long line of Christians who believe that following Christ means being a faithful witness, even unto death. Even under horrific torture, any form of denying Christ – even stepping on an image of Christ, as in the example from BJ’s sermon - results in Christ denying you before his Father in heaven (Matt. 10:33). Jesus calls his disciples to “take up their cross” (Matt. 16:24), and “persevere to the end” (Matt. 24:13).

 Now, to clarify the question, somewhat… instead of asking, “Is it okay to deny Christ?” (to which obviously, the answer is no), or “Can God forgive apostates?”(to which obviously, the answer is yes), let’s simply remember that Christians should strive to persevere -to the end- in a faithful witness to Christ.

 Similarly, some may ask, “What would you do, David?” Or, “What if your family was being tortured?” “What if…?” I can’t say with 100% certainty what I would do. Let’s again change that to “What should I do?” and “What I hope to do,” if ever placed in such a situation: stand faithful to follow Christ as a “witness” (the Greek word for witness gives us our word martyr).

 Here is an even more important question: “What will God do?” As BJ contends, God may forgive even the apostate. Unfortunately, we won’t know for sure until the eschaton (the end of the current order and the beginning of the permanent order of things.) The Swiss Catholic theologian, Hans Urs von Balthasar, in his book, Dare We ‘Hope That All Men be Saved’?, boldly concluded that the Christian could hope for and even pray for such things; but he was just as adamant that we can not preach it as certain. What we do know for sure is this: we are called to persevere, even in the most dire and grave of circumstances.

 Even more to the point about “What will God do?” is the central message of the church: the Gospel, the Good News, has stipulated that it’s not our works, our ability to endure, our…, well, our anything. The Good News is that God has done the work for us in his Son, and the Spirit of God has been placed in us, who enables us to persevere. We even, according to the martyr Paul, “rejoice…in tribulation [!], knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character, and character hope, and hope does not fail, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit has been given unto us” (Romans 5:3-5).

 This is the promise we have as Christians: it’s not up to us (Matthew 10:19); instead, it will be the Spirit of God at work through us (Matthew 10:20). The Spirit of Jesus, who faithfully endured his cross, is at work in the believer, the same Spirit that was in Paul, the same that was in Felicity, who – we are told – entered the arena “rejoicing.” This is the same Spirit that was in Stephen, James, Peter, Blandina, Cyprian, Patrick Hamilton, May Hayman, Bill Wallace, Janani Luwum, Romulo Sauñe, Haik Hovsepianmehr, and countless other martyrs throughout the church’s history. And it is the same Spirit who is at work in our hearts today.

 Although it is not from scripture, I think the closing prayer from the Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity is appropriate here: “For these new deeds of courage may also witness that one and the same Holy Spirit is always working among us even now, along with God, the Father almighty, and his Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ to whom is glory and endless power for ever and ever. Amen.”...

This, my friends, is church.

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LOST and FOUND

This was found after church on Sunday. Did you lose them? If so, email michelle@ubcwaco.org ...  (or is it "These were found?" Who knows?)

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For Parents

Emily would like for you to keep the art projects your kids have been working on this summer at church and bring them back by AUGUST 24TH. On August 31st we will have an Art Gallery featuring these masterpieces. If you have any questions, email emily@ubcwaco.org.

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August

For the next three Sundays, we will have an informal Sunday School group meet in the Rock-n-Roll room. This will primarily be so visitors who do not know that Sunday School is on hiatus will have a place to go and get to know people. We'd love to have as many of you as possible join us for that!

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Garage Sale next week!

Monday-Thursday (Friday if needed): 4:00pm-7:00pm, sorting. We need TONS of help!

Saturday: Garage Sale! We've had a decent number of folks sign up to help, but still have a little more than half of the slots to fill.  Please sign up for a spot on Sunday!

Monday (the 18th): Garage Sale! Here's how I'm approaching this-- We are going to treat Saturday like it is the ONLY DAY we are hosting the garage sale. Monday, hopefully, will be a much smaller day. We will assess things and let you know next Sunday at church the details of the Monday garage sale.

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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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson: kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers: kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite: david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Jamie McGregor: jameson.mcgregor@gmail.com

Byron Roldan: Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter: terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

This Week-- Garage Sale Help...

This week is the first of two intensive weeks of garage sale sorting! And by "intensive," I (of course) mean FUN! Between now (Monday afternoon) and Wednesday at 6:30pm, our #1 goal will be to get all the CLOTHES from the storage rooms to the stage in the backside...

Then, on Wednesday evening at 6:30 (bring your dinner at 6:00!) we will begin moving clothes to racks and tables. Once this is done, we will spend NEXT week moving all non-clothes related items into the sanctuary.

If you can come in and give ANY amount of time we would appreciate it! The building will be open until 5:00pm this evening, from 9:30-5:00pm on Tuesday (excluding the noon hour for lunch.) If you want to come up Wednesday or Thursday, please email craig@ubcwaco.org to organize a time.

ITLOTC. August 1, 2014...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

June 15, 2014

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

–

Christian

What does it mean to be a Christian? (Or a "Christ Follower," "Believer," or whatever your preferred term is for this particular faith we find ourselves in.)

A pastor friend of mine posed this question to his staff a few months ago. He asked them to describe in one sentence what exactly it is that they are calling the people in their church to be and to do.  Being the thoughtful group of ministers they are, most said that the answer is too complicated and multifaceted to sum up in one sentence. My friend said he agreed with them, but for the sake of conversation, understanding all the nuances of what it means to be a Christian, what would they lead with if asked to describe the Christian life.

The minister of music said he would lead with something like this: "Being a Christian is primarily about being a member of a community that worships the one true God."

The Associate Pastor for Missions and Community Care: "Being a Christian is about uncovering the redemptive reign of Christ in the world and calling others to participate in God's church."

The Associate Pastor for Students and Spiritual formation: "Being a Christian is about being formed into the people God is calling us to be, using Christ as our guide."

What about you?  How would you answer that question?  What would you lead with?

I'm sure your answers would be varied, including such phrases as-- "Being saved from your sins," "Reflecting the glory of God," "Seeking to make Jesus famous," "Reflecting and seeking to establish God's justice in the world," "Being a person led by Christ's love," just to name a few. And just as the answers from my friend's co-pastors reflected the things they spend most of their time working on and thinking about, our answers would also likely very closely reflect our personalities, dispositions and upbringing.

Though there would certainly be a number of people who would disagree with me, (in fact, probably a large majority of people,) I don't believe there is one single answer that would reflect completely what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Certainly Jesus called his disciples to "Follow Me," but that following included myriad actions, attitudes and conversations. There are numerous instances of the phrase "God's glory" in Scripture, but I believe it is a little silly and myopic  to believe that following Jesus can be summed up only in giving God glory, or "bringing fame to his name," as is preached in some circles. Mercy and Justice are clearly at the heart of the biblical witness, but so is worship, formation and redemption.

I believe this is an important exercise to do within a community, especially one as diverse as ours is at UBC, if for no other reason than this: Most of the conflict I have seen at churches have these two things in common-- 1. A multiplicity of beliefs about what it means to be a Christian (and, by extension, what it means to be the Church,) and 2. A vast majority of people in the church not seeing this multiplicity, assuming that everyone is, more or less, all on the same page, leading with the same things. This causes tensions about structure, decisions, worship styles and methods, not because of a disagreement about structure, decisions, worship styles and methods, but because of a fundamental misunderstanding of what other people within the community leads with in their understanding of Christianity and the church. All this leads to the proverbial "talking past each other," without anyone really knowing this is what is happening, assuming that the people with whom we disagree just doesn't "get it."

Take some time this week to think about this question. And if you care to take the risk, ask someone you know in our community how they would answer it. Are we on the same page? Probably not.  But don't lose heart. Scripture is chock full of believers and followers of the risen Christ who have different conclusions, different nuances about their faith, all who live together and love each other, not in unison, but in harmony.

_______

Final Summer Week

We had our last Wednesday night dinner and Enneagram conversation for the summer this week, and Sunday will be our last Summer Sunday school meeting time. On August 10th, 17th and 24th, I (Craig) will be in the Rock-n-Roll room from 9:30-10:15 for an informal Sunday School time, so that new visitors will not have that awkward hour wait before worship.

________

Fall Sunday School Kickoff

On Sunday, August 31st (a date most of us have etched in our brains for other reasons,) we will have an all-church Sunday School brunch at 9:30 in the backside. This will be a time to hang out, catch up, and for our fall Sunday School teachers to give a description of their classes, which will begin the next week on September 7th.

_________

For Parents

Emily would like for you to keep the art projects your kids have been working on this summer at church and bring them back by AUGUST 24TH. On August 31st we will have an Art Gallery featuring these masterpieces. If you have any questions, email emily@ubcwaco.org.

__________

Garage Sale Sorting

On Monday we will begin IN ERNEST sorting for the Garage Sale. Next week's project is primarily going to be centered on sorting clothes and getting them on racks, and then the next week we will work on all other items. If you have any amount of time during the day to give, we would love your help! And on Wednesday, continue to bring your dinner to eat at 6:00 an we will spent the hour from 6:30-7:30 sorting.

Garage Sale Workers

In order to make this a success, we need all hands on deck for the garage sale dates, which are August 16th and 18th. We need at least 40 slots filled on each day. There are sign up sheets in the foyer.

__________

 Work is Worship. Sunday August 3, 2014...

Coffee Makers: Sara Joyave and Vince Cooley

Cleaning Mugs: The Haines Family

Greeters: The Taft Family

___________

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson: kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers: kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite: david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Jamie McGregor: jameson.mcgregor@gmail.com

Byron Roldan: Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter: terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC. July 25, 2014...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

June 15, 2014

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

--

Rhythms

This summer has been slow. REAL slow.

Our summer Sunday School and Wednesday night dinner/enneagram workshops have been great.  They have been marked by meaningful conversations about discipleship and Spiritual Formation. Michael Laminack (Sunday School) and Wade Mackey (Wednesday nights) have done a phenomenal job at leading us and sharing their wisdom. (And if you need numbers to gauge success, we've had good, consistent attendance.)

But in the office, during the week, crickets.

This is a change from previous years. In the past, the summer office atmosphere was hopping. People would stop by randomly, play a game of chess or Mario Kaart, talk about a book they are reading, have lunch, joke around or sit around.

Obviously Josh being gone on sabbatical and Tye leading camps have something to do with this. They bring an energy that is hard to replace.

I also think our changing demographics have contributed to this change of atmosphere. Ten years ago our Sunday Morning summer attendance was drastically smaller than it is now. But those who were around were undergrads taking classes or working part time jobs, so they had a lot of expendable time during the week. Now, though our Sunday attendance is larger, those who are here are, for the most part, people for whom "summer" means nothing more than hotter temperatures.

And so, in the office, I've been left reading, studying for groups I'm leading in the fall, planning, praying and resting. I am someone who tries to value rest, seeing it as a spiritual discipline. But even so, it is easy to fall into the cultural expectation of busy-ness that looks with disdain upon people who are trying to grow the margins of their lives. I was beginning to fall prey to this guilt when an acquaintance posted this on Facebook:

Rhythms matter. For instance: I know that I usually have an energy slump in the late afternoon, and that summer is my toughest season. The ongoing project is to work with my rhythms, not act as though they aren't real. I am not a machine.

"I am not a machine." I believe this is something that must be internalized in order for discipleship to happen. I often find it interesting the phrases we use to describe periods of rest and rejuvenation, as well as periods of activity. When we are resting we say we are "recharging." When we are getting active in a project, a community, a movement, we say we are "plugging in."

Recharging.

Plugging in.

Like machines.

Robots.

But we are not machines. God has created us to experience rhythms of life that exist on different levels from the sheer mechanics of working and efficiency.

God leads us beside still waters. (Psalm 23)

Jesus tells his disciples "come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." (Mark 6:31)

"Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently..." (Psalm 37) is a command. Obey it. We are not machines.

--

Josh's Sabbatical Support

UBC responded very well to our request to help Josh out financially with his sabbatical. If you have pledged to help, or even if you haven't and would like to, you can donate via paypal. Even though we are about 2/3 through the summer, he will still have financial needs that have not yet been covered. If you write a check or give cash, please mark it somewhere with "Josh's Sabbatical." If you give money online via paypal (at ubcwaco.org, click the "$" icon on the top right of the page,) email our office administrator, michelle@ubcwaco.org, to let her know that your donation is to be designated for Josh's sabbatical.

--

For Parents

Emily would like for you to keep the art projects your kids have been working on this summer at church and bring them back by AUGUST 24TH. On August 31st we will have an Art Gallery featuring these masterpieces. If you have any questions, email emily@ubcwaco.org.

--

Garage Sale Info

Two things about the Garage Sale:

1. This Sunday, be on the lookout for a sign-up sheet in the foyer for work times.

2. The originally scheduled work day this Sunday has been cancelled due to a building rental.

--

Enneagram

This coming Wednesday,  July 30th, will be our last Wednesday night dinner and Enneagram conversation. If you haven't been able to attend, but are still interested, this would be a good one-time event to show up to. We'll be wrapping up our time together with questions, concerns and stories about the enneagram and how it has been helpful for us. Bring your dinner at 6:00. We'll start talking enneagram at 6:30.

--

Work is Worship: Sunday, July 27th...

Coffee Makers: Austin and Marshall

Coffee Cleaners: Kaley & Company

Greeters: Jana and Betsy

--

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson: kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers: kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite: david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Jamie McGregor: jameson.mcgregor@gmail.com

Byron Roldan: Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter: terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC. July 18th, 2014...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

June 15, 2014

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

—

Unique Challenges of Being Church in Waco

(The thoughts expressed in the following post were inspired by conversations I've been having with Michael Laminack, a Truett student doing his mentoring at UBC this summer. And before I even begin writing, I'm guessing that by the end of the post I will need to have this disclaimer, which I'll go ahead and write at the outset: The opinions expressed in this section of the newsletter are those of its author, Craig Nash, and may not reflect those of others within the leadership of UBC.) 

In the beginning, there were those who walked with Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, who went out into the world proclaiming a message of hope, redemption and transformation. Wherever communities accepted this message and chose to follow the resurrected Christ, they began meeting regularly. They prayed, shared the Holy Meal together, heard words of edification from their Scriptures and sang a hymn or two. As these communities grew and endeavored to be the body of Christ in the world, they would occasionally receive instruction, guidance, and, sometimes, correction from the apostles scattered throughout the Middle East and Europe. (Later, bishops would take the place of the apostles.) But for the most part, Christian formation was fleshed out primarily within the context of the local community.

Fast forward to, say, "Little House on the Prairie" days, and things looked much the same. Walnut Grove had their own church and minister, located in the center of town. Christian life and formation of individuals happened primarily among those who worshiped with each other on Sundays. Even in urban areas that had more denominational options, people had "their" church, located in close geographic proximity to them, and this was the context from which they became disciples.

Then the automobile came along and changed everything. Individuals seeking Christian community could now not only choose from a particular denomination of church, they were no longer bound by geography and could drive across or out of town to be part of a particular church.

But through all this, one thing remained constant: Christian formation occurred mostly within the context of one local church body for each individual believer. Like minded churches may have formed (or were formed by) larger bodies to help facilitate their "like-mindedness" and to work together on endeavors that would be difficult to do alone. And certainly those who could read and had access to the writings of other Christians could learn new things from books. But still, individuals fleshed out what it means to follow Jesus primarily within a local church.

I believe that for the majority of the Christian world, this still is how people receive Christian formation. But, as in many other areas, Waco, TX is not like the rest of the world.

In most of the rest of the world, Sundays are when Christians gather in their local expressions of "church" for worship and times of formation. Throughout the week they may meet on another night for prayer, or in someone else's home for a meal or Bible Study. These times with the "church family" are small islands of proclamation and formation in a sea of living out faith through careers, hobbies, families, etc. Life is a weekly series of ebbs and flows between being sent out into the world and gathering together as the church.

In Waco, especially if you are a Baylor student (the dominant demographic of our church,) these ebbs and flows are often reversed. Opportunities for proclamation and formation between Sundays are legion. To be sure, this brings about many advantages, but there are challenges. I don't have space to go into each in depth, but I'll touch on two of these challenges in hope that it will invite thought and conversation.

1. In our particular context, the lines surrounding what is considered "my" church are blurred. It is not uncommon in our city for someone to attend services at one church on Sunday morning, a Bible Study with another church on Sunday night, participate in an on-campus worship service on Monday night, and attend a small group for a third church somewhere else during the week. Throw in a Wednesday night service here and a public prayer session at a coffee shop there, and you've got a lot of devotion, but little identification with one distinct group of people that helps shape your faith.

Some may say this is a good thing, and it certainly can be in many ways. But it begs several questions: Which community am I going to be most shaped by? When I need guidance, which church or ministry am I going to go to? If I go to more than one, and they provide me with different answers (or a whole new set of questions) from each other, which will I defer to?

From the church's perspective, it begs other questions: When we seek the "voice of the people" on a particular matter, who do we give our ears to? Those who tithe? Those who attend somewhat regularly? Someone who visited us a couple of times when they first moved to Waco, decided they like us, never came back but still call us "their" church when asked?

2. Among pretty much all the churches and ministries in Waco, there is at the very least a spirit of cordiality and, sometimes even, of cooperation. We are all trying to figure out how to best be transformed by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. But having the same goal does not mean we have come to the same conclusions on important matters of faith.

For many years UBC was accused of being defined more by what (and who) we are against than what (and who) we are for. This accusation was fair and accurate, and I am thankful we have taken positive steps in eliminating the snark and negativity that we were known for. With that said, in a town such as ours it can sometimes be necessary to point out our differences with how others approach faith. Because while those differences are often important, they are rarely immediately evident. It is only fair to those who have a sea of options of how they will be formed to know the distinctives (i.e., what sets it apart) of a given faith community. The challenge is figuring out how to do this clearly and deliberately, while also retaining the cordiality and cooperation with other churches and ministries in town who are also ministering to people-- sometimes the same people we are also ministering to.

--

Sundays and Wednesdays

Things around the church have been especially slow this summer. One exception, however, has been our summer Sunday School and Wednesday night enneagram conversation. We've engaged in very meaningful conversations about formation, discipleship, and understanding ourselves in light of how God has created us each individually. We've had great response to both of these times of formation. There's only a few weeks left in the summer, but it isn't too late to join us! Sunday School is on Sunday (of course) at 9:30am. For Wednesdays we meet at 6:00pm for dinner and begin talking about the enneagram at 6:30.

--

Garage Sale Sorting

The next Garage Sale Sorting day will be Sunday, July 27th after church. Put it on your calendar!

--

Work is Worship, July 20

Coffee Makers: Sarah Joyave and Vince Cooley

Mug Cleaners: Crystal and Dylan Adams

Greeters: Still needed

--

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson: kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers: kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite: david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Jamie McGregor: jameson.mcgregor@gmail.com

Byron Roldan: Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter: terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC. July 11, 2014...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

June 15, 2014

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

---

Bible Quiz

A couple of years I ago I was given a sneak peak into the culture of "Bible Quiz" through an invitation of a family member to visit them at a competition taking place at a Nazarene church here in town. Though some may be surprised that there is such a thing as Bible Quiz, I imagine most of you will have some vague idea of what it is because of experience you may have had as a child with "sword drills." (Bible Quiz is not the same thing, and is much more intense, than sword drills.) But what may come as a shock is that there is an entire culture surrounding Bible Quiz.

At the end of this experience I told my friend Britt that if I were ever to get into the documentary-producing business, my first subject would be the world of Bible Quizzing. It is that fascinating. Well, apparently someone beat me to the punch. While scanning through the Netflix documentaries I found this little gem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TPyVBpX4Ew

The film is well done. It is neither a cynical "expose'" nor a propaganda piece for a unique evangelical  practice. It simply follows one team and its members through the upper echelons of Bible Quiz competition, and gives a sneak peak into the personal life of one of its students.

Though mostly endearing, there are some moments in the documentary that were extremely cringe-inducing. Chief among them was an exchange between a group of Bible Quizzers and a street musician in Seattle's Pike place Market. The teenagers were talking to the musicians and they mention something about their faith. The musician rebuts what they say with something along the lines of "God doesn't exist." In that moment, you could feel the tension arising within the group of students. For those of us who grew up in the world of evangelicalism, the feeling is clear: This is our moment, the one the camp pastor told us about. The moment when we would have to defend our faith against the pagans of the world.

One of the girls decided to meet the moment head on. After a little hesitation, she walked toward the musician, snapped her head quickly, sideways in both directions, and gave it her best shot: "Uh, I beg to differ! God is real!" (I'm paraphrasing here, as I don't have the film at my disposal right now.)

It was a very uncomfortable moment.

To be fair, the interaction was stacked against the girl. It was on the busker's home turf. He was clearly the aggressor and had a good 10-15 years on the girl. But at the same time, you could see the look of shell-shock on the faces of the Bible Quizzers. They had probably heard that there were those who didn't share their beliefs, but you sensed that they were just now experiencing the truth in that. And they had no clue how to interact with this strange alien person who didn't believe in God.

I believe evangelism is something that many of us have deconstructed, and for good reasons. But it is probably about time we begin the reconstruction process. This will be a monumental undertaking that will take more than a blog or a couple of sermons to complete. But I'd like to offer as a starting place a couple of the Fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians: Love. Kindness. Gentleness.

Sharing our faith with others must begin with a firm belief that I am standing on the same ground as the person I am sharing with. I have the same limitations, the same tendency toward bias and the same sin that bends all our lives into dark directions. Only an attitude of love, kindness and gentleness can effectively communicate that with "the other" in my midst.

---

Garage Sale Sorting

This Sunday after church will be our next Garage Sale sorting time. We had a GREAT turn out last time we did this. If we have a similar turnout, we will continue to transfer items from the storage building the church and have another group begin sorting out clothes. Go grab lunch after church then meet us back at the building at 1:00!

---

Garage Sale Help

The actual garage sale will be on Saturday, August 16th, Monday August 17th and (if needed) Tuesday the 18th. This year we will be dividing up duties for each day. Here are the needs we will have for each day--

15 people to help move large items from storage building to parking lot from 6:00am-7:00am

10 workers from 7-11. (3 cashiers, three inside helpers, three outside helpers, 1 building monitor.)

10 workers from 11-3. (see above.)

12 people to help move items back into storage building after 3:00pm.

Be on the lookout for me to ASK you if you would like to take one of these shifts, as well as for a sign up sheet.

---

Work is Worship for Sunday, July 13th

Making Coffee: Jeff Latham

Cleaning up Mugs: Crystal and Dylan Adams

Greeters: Still Needed!

---

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson: kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers: kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite: david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Jamie McGregor: jameson.mcgregor@gmail.com

Byron Roldan: Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter: terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC, July 4, 2014...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

June 15, 2014

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

--

Jamie

Last week I wrote about Austin Tiffany and his time on UBC's Leadership Team. Members of our Leadership Team serve in that capacity for up to three years. As Austin rotated off the group last week, Jamie McGregor takes his place as a member this week.

Jamie is from Clarksville, Tennessee and a graduate of Carson Newman University. He is married to Adair. Many of you will know him as the bearded guitar player who sings next to Tye on Sunday mornings. He is an incredible musician and songwriter. Jamie has released a couple of EP's, one of which is often on constant repeat in my car. It is titled "Never Get Gone" and you can download it here.

I asked Jamie a little about himself...

Age? 25

What do you do? I go to seminary and play in a rock band.

How long have you been at UBC? 3 years exactly

What do you love most about our church? Authenticity and liturgical effort

What would you like to see different about our church? More attention to newcomers

Favorite restaurant in Waco? Taqueria No. 9

Please be in prayer for Jamie as he takes on this important role.

--

Independence Day

If you've been around UBC for very long, you know that many of us are leery of mixing nationalism/patriotism with our lives as followers of Jesus. A thought provoking blog about this can be found here.

However, with that said, this creates a tension when it comes to recognizing and blessing those who serve in the armed forces. Regardless of your politics or theology with regards to this, I believe that at the very least we can acknowledge that anyone who voluntarily gives their lives in service to their fellow humans are worthy of our thanks and prayers.

Over the past few years we have had several soldiers from Ft. Hood worship with us. A couple of them have stuck around and have been a part of our community through Sunday School, worship and a Mi Casa that meets in the Temple/Belton area. They are Ryan Spangler and Ben Speckhart. Ryan has recently finished his tenure with the Army and has moved to Longview with his wife Lisa (who is great with child at this present moment.) Ben is still hanging around.  Please take a moment this week to pray for both of them and, if you see them, to let them know you appreciate what they do.

--

CBF

Last week I had the pleasure of representing UBC at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's annual General Assembly in Atlanta. A story about the closing night can be found here. Next year's General Assembly will be in Dallas and I would love to take a contingency of UBC'ers to find out about the good work that we support through the CBF. Be on the lookout early next year for information on this.

--

No Sunday School

As a reminder, there will be no Sunday School on July 6th. We will resume all our Summer Activities on Wednesday, July 9th.

--

Garage Sale

This year's Garage Sale will be August 16th, 18th and (if we have anything left,) 19th. Because we had such a great response to sorting time this past Sunday, we will be using every other Sunday as sorting times. On July 13th, 27th and August 10th we will meet after church to work on sorting. The week of August 10th we will be sorting all through the week.  Please put these dates on your calendars!

--

Work is Worship

 Our new "Work is Worship" board for July-September is up and located next to Josh's office. It would be great if we could have that whole thing filled up by the end of Sunday!

For this Sunday...

Making Coffee-- Marygayle Martin

Greeting People-- Haylee.  (We could use one or two more for this!)

Cleaning Coffee Mugs-- Haines'

--

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson: kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers: kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite: david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Jamie McGregor: jameson.mcgregor@gmail.com

Byron Roldan: Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter: terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC. June 27, 2014...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

June 15, 2014

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

—

Austin

Late last spring UBC went through a massive transition in our leadership structure, and it wasn't easy.  The meetings that ushered in the change were emotionally draining and contentious. Just about everyone had a strong opinion about the direction we should go. Many of us believed that if "the other side" "won," then the church was doomed for a split, and if "our side" "won," then church utopia was upon us.  It was, frankly, pretty ugly.  (There's probably some principle of leadership that says I shouldn't be telling you these things. If so, I'm ignoring it and will repent later.)

In the midst of a particularly heated moment a voice came from the corner, "I think we need to pray."  The voice belonged to the youngest person in the room, Austin Tiffany.

It may surprise you to hear that interrupting a church leadership meeting with prayer is worthy of note.  Isn't this what we are supposed to be doing?  In a way, yes.  We do seek God's guidance in all the affairs of the church, but at UBC we believe that an invitation to God doesn't need to be  continuously extended and renewed in order for God to be with us and to lead us. However, there are times when we need to be reminded that we are not our best guides, God is.

In that moment, Austin provided the tap on the shoulder that we needed.  It was "leadership" in its truest, and best form. In my almost forty years among people who pray, there are only a handful of times when someone has led me to God in a way that was authentic, unforced, and necessary.  This moment is at the top of that list.

It is often said that the transitory nature of UBC is one of our weaknesses.  For the most part, I agree.  When about half your church is completely turning over every four years or so, it presents many challenges. But it also presents many gifts as well. College Freshmen stream in here every fall looking for something.  Some of them find it immediately and determine that we are the place for them, but most of them go looking elsewhere.  Some return, some don't.  Of those that end up calling UBC home, many leave their mark on us in memorable and vital ways. We aren't a church that has thousands of people in worship every Sunday.  (I, for one, am thankful for this.) But we are a church that has been impacted by thousands of students who have come, placed their stamp on us, and left.

And out of those, a small handful do more than impact us. They form us, leading us to places we couldn't have gone otherwise. If there were a UBC Mt. Rushmore, they would be on it. And if I have a vote for who goes up there, Austin would get it. (This is also probably something I shouldn't be saying, adding to the things I will need to repent from later.)

This is Austin's last week as a member of Leadership Team.  As he rotates off he is also in his last few weeks at UBC.  In the fall he will be studying interfaith dialogue at the University of Cambridge. If you see him around, please make a point to thank him for his contribution to the life of our church.  He will be missed greatly.

---

Garage Sale

As you may have heard, we have had a couple of break-ins at our garage sale storage building.  Because of this we are working hard to get all the smaller items out of that building and into Sunday School rooms in the main church building.  We will be having a special time of sorting THIS Sunday at 1:00pm.  Go grab lunch after church, bring it back and we'll hang out in the backside.

If you are able to help with this at other times and in other ways, please email Michael_Laminack@baylor.edu.

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Holiday Break

We typically take the days around Independence Day off from our weekly events.  There will be no Enneagram Conversation on Wednesday the 2nd, and no Summer Sunday School on the 6th.

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Waco Dive

The Waco Dive for Wednesday July 2nd will be at Baris.  Join us there at noon!

--

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Austin Tiffany Austin_Tiffany@baylor.edu

Byron Roldan Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC. June 20, 2014...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

June 15, 2014

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

—

Empathy

I have lived a relatively pain-free life, as far as my body goes.  When I was two I broke my arm.  I was in the bathtub, according to eyewitnesses, but upon hearing the Happy Days theme song blaring from the television set (that's what we called it in those days,) I decided that I needed to immediately run to the living room in my birthday suit and dance on the coffee table.  Apparently there was a mishap and I didn't quite stick the landing.

As a child I had recurring ear infections that lasted well into adolescence and caused some issues about 10 years ago that required surgery.  And I broke my foot in a 2011.

Yet aside from all this, I have not really known chronic pain until recently.  A couple of months ago I woke up with what I could only interpret as a pulled hamstring.  I had never had one of these, but I have heard them described as extremely painful, which is what I was feeling in my hamstring area.  Over time the pain spread to my...uh...butt, then began emanating further down my leg.  After too long avoiding a doctor, I made an appointment and was diagnosed with Sciatica, likely caused by a herniated disc in my lower back.  Since then I've been in physical therapy and on pain killers, with varying degrees of success.  (I actually feel better today than I have in a long time.)  The days in between the good days are spent lying on the floor, as sitting down feels like a scalpel is cutting through my leg.  I think I've developed a permanent grimace.

Before all this, I heard words and phrases like "inflammation" and "chronic pain," and thought they were made-up ailments, like ADD and gluten intolerance.  (Just kidding!  Everyone knows ADD is a real thing.*) In my relative health, it was difficult for me to understand that such a thing as "persistent pain" could exist, much less put myself in the shoes of those who dealt with it.  But now I understand a small sliver of the reality that many people have lived their whole lives.  I get why they don't go out much and how physical pain can evolve into emotional pain.  I understand, just a little, their prayers of desperation and why they sometimes stop praying, or find new ways to pray.  I've received an initiation into their "club," hoping there is an expiration date.

I believe a similar thing is going on with all the conversations about the enneagram that are happening around UBC these days.  I know many people are leery of this, and for good reason:  Models of human behavior and motivation are often used as either trivial parlor games, or as ways to marginalize and dismiss "the other."  In the early days of UBC'ers becoming interested in the enneagram, it often got used as a way to label each other.  But something very special has been happening in our Wednesday night conversations led by Wade Mackey.  People are eager to learn about enneagram as a way of understanding others and, ultimately, as a way to love and respect each other.  We are seeing how everyone's reality and perception can be light year's away from our own.  And, in some ways, we are being exposed, for the first time, with the pain of others. We are receiving an orientation into each others lives.

In seminary we learned about a movement known as Liberation Theology.  Among the many complexities of liberation theology, one tenet is that if you want to really understand the Bible more fully, you need to be able to read it through the eyes of (and, preferably, from the lips of) the marginalized and poor.  Regardless of what you believe about this, I think one thing is clear-- We are to be compassionate, tenderhearted and loving to each other. (1 Peter 3:8.)  The only way to pull this off is to be able, as much as possible, to see life through each other's eyes.

This is something I am a novice at.  Perhaps you are as well.  May we have the grace to grow in empathy and tenderheartedness, and that we will be known for these.

---

*I also know gluten intolerance is a real thing, but wanted some of you to sweat it out a few paragraphs more.

---

UBC Kids

We are in need of FOUR more volunteers this summer to help with our children during their 10:30a.m. formation time!  Two of you will work in the "Sprout" room, which consists of walkers through early 2's.  Preparation for leading this group includes knowing how to sit on the floor, giving high-5's and kissing boo-boos. (They basically just play.)  The other two will be with the "Bloom" class, which are the older 2's through the younger 4's.  The Bloomers this summer are going through their "Gone Fishin'" unit, which is looking at the fish and fishing related stories in the Bible.

If you are new and looking for a way to get connected, this is an EXCELLENT opportunity. (It's also an excellent opportunity if you aren't new.) If you are interested, email emily@ubcwaco.org.

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Love Feast

Our summer Love Feast will be this coming Sunday (June 22nd) at 6:00pm.  Bring a summer side or main dish.  We have the desserts covered!

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Work is Worship

We need coffee makers, mug cleaners, and greeters for this coming Sunday.  If you can help, email craig@ubcwaco.org.

---

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Austin Tiffany Austin_Tiffany@baylor.edu

Byron Roldan Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC. June 15, 2014...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

June 15, 2014

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

---

(Yesterday was Friday, the day I usually write the newsletter.  Instead of writing the newsletter, I was having a great time with a group of guys from UBC waiting in line for Franklin BBQ.  We had a wonderful time, a "thin veil" moment as Marshall noted.  But since the veil was especially thin, I didn't write the newsletter.  Instead of forcing something on you this Saturday morning, I've decided to share with you a blog post I wrote in the summer of 2010, shortly after I came on staff at UBC.)

This Place

On July 1, 2000 I packed my little red car with all my belongings and drove from Marshall, TX to Waco, TX, passing through most of the East Texas towns that I had become familiar with over the previous 25 years. The thing I remember most about that day is that it was hot. An interesting thing about Texans is that we rarely pretend it isn't hot when it is. Go to Alaska when it is 20 degrees outside and the Alaskans will try to convince you that it is not really that cold. Go to Texas in 100 degree heat and we will tell you-- It is hot.

On that day, it was hot.I suppose I had no reason to believe a move to Waco would be any different than the moves I had made during the previous years. After college I made it a habit to move to a new place about once a year, with every intention of that new place becoming a permanent home. But none of them ever stuck, so I moved on to "greener pastures."

After a few short weeks in Waco I had the distinct impression that I would continue to be on the move. People here were strange. The job I was in was vastly different than the exact same position I held previously at another place. Friends who had come here at the same time, but for different reasons, began to separate and make lives for themselves in their respective corners of this medium-sized city. That summer was more than just hot. It was miserable.

Then in August of that year things were put into motion that would prove to be watershed moments in my life. A friend found a particular church and told me about it. I remember the moment he brought a sheet of paper with the church's values and mission statement on it to my apartment to show me. He said he really thought I should check it out. So I did, and I am glad I did. Later that week I met the pastor of the church who quickly became one of my closest friends.

This city, however, remained strange. I bounced around between jobs and seminary and short-but-excruciating stints of unemployment. Were it not for my burgeoning love for, and involvement in, that church over on Dutton Avenue, I probably would have bolted. But I stayed. The gravitational pull of this place pulled me in and held me close. The odd things about this city ceased to be odd to me. Or perhaps the oddness began to seep into my pores until I no longer saw it as odd. Quirky became normal.

Of course there was an elderly black man who may or may not think he is the president who walks down the street waving at everyone he sees.

Of course North means East and South means West.

Of course there are Mexican/Chinese restaurants, as well as dives called "Health Camp" that have absolutely nothing healthy on their menu.

Duh.

I ended up at a job that was sometimes meaningful, even joyful, other times a living-hell. Yet all the time it was a hub of the city that brought people from all geographic, social, and economic corners of Waco to one place, around books. I met JoAnn, who probably lived life a little too fully in the 1960's, and Dorothy, the widow of a missionary from Japan who expected me to hug her when she expressed anger at her husband leaving so early. I became good friends with Rodeo Steve, so named because of his past as a cowboy. Steve is approaching 70 and doesn't look a day over 45, and is deeply in love with Mickey. I was the officiant at their wedding. Then there was the cranky old lawyer who had an insatiable appetite for very specific types of erotica, as well as the old Baylor professor who died of lung cancer and would break out into poetry whenever she pleased. The broken people who fill the pages of Chekhov and O'Connor began to fill the pages of my own life.

These people became my home.

Then those of us who had come here together, yet had grown apart, began to find each other again. It was as if we had been separated, on our own journeys of discovery, and had returned to tell about what we had found, and also about how much we missed each other.

And that church continued to wedge its way into my life as I wedged my way into it. Life was lived, energy was created, and tragedy hit, leaving us without the pastor and friend who I had become so close to years before. But we continued to find each other in many ways-- through conflict, tears, beer, the Bible, and the general passing of time.

I returned to school and began to feel young again. New possibilities emerged. New friendships developed. A sense of calm slowly returned after years of grieving the loss of my friend. The hole was still there, but it became less raw, easier to navigate around. What seemed inevitable was that my time in this city I had grown to love was slowly coming to an end, as it isn't wise to spend time and money on a seminary degree if you aren't prepared to explore your calling wherever it may lead.

But the calling was closer than I suspected. That church that I had walked alongside for years asked me to be with them a little longer, and I accepted. And I sit here now, on the eve of my tenth year in this place, thankful. It's really all I can be. Ten years is a long time, and yet I still feel so young. There are corners of this city, people in these neighborhoods, who are yet to be discovered. I've got time.

When you go looking for community, be careful. It may find you.

---

SUMMER LOVE FEAST!

 June 22-- 6:00pm.

Bring your favorite summer side dish or main dish

We have drinks covered, and we only need six people to sign up for desserts.  If you want to bring a dessert, sign up in the foyer.

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WACO DIVES

Waco Dive for Wednesday, June 18th will be at Crucero.  2505 Robinson Drive.  (Take the circle and get off on the Robinson exit.  Crucero is past the new Stripes gas station on the right.

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Enneagram Conversation

We have had a great and informative time the past couple of weeks talking to Wade Mackey about the Enneagram.  There is a real sense of people understanding more about those in their lives than they did before.  You are welcome to step in and join us at any time!  We meet in the Backside at 6:00 on Wednesdays to eat dinner (bring your own,) and begin the conversation at 6:30.  Hope you can join us!

---

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Austin Tiffany Austin_Tiffany@baylor.edu

Byron Roldan Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC, June 6, 2014...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

May 30, 2014

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

- - -

The "B" Word

If you'll forgive me, I've got a little bit of a Baptist chip on my shoulder.

Almost all the pastors of UBC, past and present, who have seminary educations have received them from Baptist seminaries.

We give money annually (albeit a very small amount) to the Waco Regional Baptist Network, the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Every year in the spring we spend a significant amount of time signing church certification forms for Truett and undergraduate ministry students to verify that they attend a Baptist church so that they can receive scholarship funds from Baptists who are committed the furthering theological education.

When we started as a church in 1995, we did so with the blessing and financial backing of area Baptists who fell in love with the dream of reaching students who were not attending church anywhere.

Oh, and by the way, we are University Baptist Church.

Yet I often here this from people when describing UBC, "Oh, it's not really a Baptist church."

I never really know if this sentiment is misunderstanding or wishful thinking.  It's probably a little of both.

I can think of a couple of reasons people make this mistake.  For one, even though we are Baptist, we are not Southern Baptist.  The Southern Baptist Convention is not only the largest Baptist group in the country, it's also the largest Protestant denomination.  It's so big and such a significant presence in the landscape of our country that it is easy to assume that if you do not associate with it, then you aren't really Baptist.

Also, Baptist churches are so incredibly diverse that if your experience with a Baptist church is limited then you may not be aware of the vast array of different kinds of Baptist churches out there.  If you grew up at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, and attended there every Sunday of your life, then visited Dayspring Baptist in Waco one Sunday, it will definitely be an exercise in "one of these is not like the other."

In Baptist life there is a phrase that makes possible this diversity.  It's called "The Autonomy of the Local Church."  It means that every local congregation, made of of people who have equal access to the wisdom of God, makes its own decisions, chooses how it will govern its affairs, what it teaches, who can participate, etc.  None of this is determined by an institution outside of the individual church.  In associating with larger Baptist bodies (denominations, associations, fellowships,) we are agreeing to partner with other churches in endeavors such as missions and social justice issues.  However, those institutions do not then have the ability to dictate in any way what our church will look like.  Because of this, every Baptist church has the potential to be EXTREMELY different from every other Baptist church.

(This isn't to say that a larger Baptist group can't disassociate with an individual Baptist congregation, or vice versa, because they disagree with the other on something.  But in the disassociation, the congregation is free to continue to use the term "Baptist," something that would not be allowed with other denominations.)

But I think there's something larger at work in the feeling that UBC isn't "really" a Baptist church.  There is a general sense of antipathy that has grown in our culture for labels.  The feeling is that once we place a label on who we are then we have robbed ourselves of the ability to be unique and to write our own narrative outside the lines of the label.  Many Christians have even shed the term "Christian" as a self-descriptor because of all the baggage that term carries, opting instead for the more active term "Christ Follower."

I understand the desire not to be boxed in or limited.  But unless we all decide to stop using language altogether, or to describe everything with the excessively annoying "it is what it is," then we can't really get away from labels.  "Christ Followers" begin to fit a certain mold with specific characteristics (one of them being an aversion to labels,) and like "nondenominational churches" start to be every bit as distinct as the labels they are reacting against.

Among the many great things about being Baptist, one of them is the freedom to create and to recreate what a Baptist church looks like, being the presence of Christ in our community in a way that fits us and that makes sense within our unique context.  And it is something I'm proud to call myself.

I'm proud that we are associated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship who, among other things, works in the poorest of communities in the country to effect lasting change through the Together for Hope Program.

As a Texas Baptist, we are connected with an organization that is at the forefront of disaster relief. (Chances are if you are watching a disaster on the news such as the West Explosion or a tornado rip through a community, there is a disaster relief crew on their way to the site, often arriving long before anyone else, including the U.S. Government.)

By associating with the Waco Regional Baptist Association, we partner with churches passionate about restorative justice, hunger and collegiate ministries.

For me, being Baptist is not a straitjacket that limits our ability to be ourselves.  Rather, it is a term that allows us to be ourselves while recognizing that there is work to do in the world that we can't do on our own.  It doesn't define us, but it does connect us to a long line of witnesses that have been faithful to the gospel in particular ways throughout history.

---

Work is Worship for June

This Sunday Sarah Joyave and Vince Cooley will be making coffee.  Aside from that, we have no slots filled for the rest of June to clean up coffee mugs and to greet people as they come in.  If you are around we would LOVE your help.  Please email craig@ubcwaco.org if you want to sign up for any of these tasks.

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UBC Guys Trip to Franklin BBQ

The big day is upon us!  On Friday, June 13th the guys of UBC will head down to Austin to experience the goodness that is Franklin BBQ.  We will leave from UBC at 6:30, hoping to arrive there at 8:00.  (There will already be people waiting in line at this time.)  Bring a lawn chair and your beverage of choice.  And sunscreen.  There will be a sign-up in the foyer this coming Sunday.

(Don't believe me about the line?  The following picture was tweeted at 8:54 this morning...)

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Waco Dives Returns!

We will be resuming Waco Dives this Summer!  Toph is dubbing it #wacoclassics.  This is open to EVERYONE. Our first lunch will be this Wednesday, June 11, at Dubl-R at noon.

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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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com Kristin Dodson kschwebke@prodigy.net Kaley Eggers kaley.eggers@gmail.com David Wilhite david_wilhite@baylor.edu Austin Tiffany Austin_Tiffany@baylor.edu Byron Roldan Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu Teri Walter terijan@gmail.com   UBC Finance Team Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members. Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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. Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC, May 30...

ITLOTC

(In the Life of the Church)

May 30, 2014

(While Josh is away on sabbatical, Craig will be writing the newsletter.  Which means you should expect less Harry Potter and more Hank Williams.)

---

Lost in Translation

Several years ago I ran into an acquaintance in town.  We'll call her "Dawn," since that is her real name. Dawn is a self-proclaimed Jesus Freak.  She moved to East Texas in the late 1970's as folks from the "Jesus People Movement" began to retreat from southern California and purchase land for their ministries in the Piney Woods between Dallas and Shreveport.  Because this is where I grew up, we had a natural connection.

I met Dawn while working at Barnes and Noble. She was a customer.  I found out  quickly that she loves Jesus, cigarettes, and feeding feral cats around town.  "Hey, they're God's creation too!" she would say.  Dawn is a little strange, but very easy to be around, like the one who is the life of your family reunion, but no one can quite figure out how this person is related or who invited them.

When we see each other our conversation usually turns to church.  She makes the rounds of various charismatic and pentecostal congregations around town.  There are a few small churches in Waco made up of people who came to faith through the Jesus People movement.  They don't advertise this, but they seem to find each other the way expats do in a foreign country.  Many of them lean charismatic, as this was the dominant expression of faith for many Jesus Freaks.

Toward the end of this particular conversation, in the produce section of HEB, she asked me, knowing a little about the musical DNA of our church, "At UBC , do y'all have some amazing times of intense worship?"  I thought about this for a second, scrunched my face, shrugged my shoulder and said, matter-of-factly, "No, not really."

Since we had a history of frank conversations, and because she had been around the "church block" a time or two, Dawn wasn't as offended at my frank reply as you may be right now.  She knew that what we were dealing with was a problem of translation.  SHE knew that I knew what she meant, and that I was answering "No, not really" to what she meant, not what she said.  Because the truth is, I do believe we have some "amazing times of intense worship."  Any time people gather with their doubts, baggage and quirky theologies and proclaim in unison that "Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again," I believe is an "amazing time of intense worship."  Intense worship, for me, is when someone goes weeks, months, years without seeing evidence of God in their lives, but still manages to get out of bed on a Sunday morning because they refuse to let their feelings drown out their "Hallelujahs."  Worship doesn't get more intense than standing next to someone you don't particularly know or like while you both share in the sacred meal that makes us one and makes us whole.

But this wasn't exactly what Dawn meant.  In fairness, she would probably include everything I have included in her understanding of "intense worship," but she would add more.  What Dawn wanted to know was this: Does our music sometimes last longer than intended?  Are there extended periods of spontaneous prayer as the instruments play quietly in the background?  Do a lot of us close our eyes really tight, trying hard to see something we can't see with them open?

And while all these are certainly valid expressions of worship, they just simply haven't been the dominant identifying markers of worship at UBC.

My interaction with Dawn highlights a challenge that most churches, especially evangelical Protestant ones, face-- the challenge of translation.  We all draw from the same pool of language to convey meaning, but sometimes we choose words and attach meaning to them that is different from the meaning others may attach them to.

Someone asks us if we are a "Gospel Centered" or "Spirit Filled" or "Welcoming" church and we reply "Of course!," not knowing that what we believe those words mean and what the asker of the question believes about them may be worlds apart.

Or, we throw around words and phrases like "Spiritual Formation" and "Sacred Text," assuming this is the language used universally by people to describe discipleship and the Bible.

This is why dialogue is so vital and a cornerstone of what UBC has always been about.  Without it we begin to speak a sort of insider language that sounds an awful lot like the insider language of other communities, even if the lexicon is different.  And what happens is that people become a part of us (or any other church for that matter,) and months or years down the road those who have "worshipped intensely" with each other sit down over coffee to talk about their lives and beliefs and passions and things start to click and one or both conversation partners has one of those moments when the record scratches to a halt and they say, "Wait, you believe THAT?! I thought you believe THIS?!"

So be wary of assuming that we are all speaking the same language. And don't be afraid to ask, "What exactly do you mean when you say what you are saying?" The conversation that ensues may open your eyes to the rich tapestry of faith, and expand your vision of what following Jesus can be.  We all have a lot to learn from each other.

---

Work is Worship for June 1, 2014

Washing Coffee Mugs After the Service: Stan and Lisa Denmon

We still need greeters and coffee makers!  If you can help, email craig@ubcwaco.org.

--

This Sunday

Adam Winn will be preaching this Sunday.

As you may know, Adam, Molly and Brennan have been a vital part of our community for several years.  They will be moving this summer to California where Adam will be working at Azusa Pacific University.  While we firmly believe that Adam is acting in direct disobedience to the will of God for his life by leaving Waco*, we also believe that God can make "beauty from ashes" and are excited for that to happen with the Winns.

(*if there were a sarcasm font, it would be used here.)

---

Summer Sunday School

We will begin Summer Sunday School this Sunday.  Michael Laminack will be leading us in a discussion about Spiritual Formation and following Jesus, relying heavily on the works of Dallas Willard as a guide.

---

Do you have an Emergency? Do you Need to talk to a Pastor?

254 366 9779

(please do not send texts to this number)

---

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Austin Tiffany Austin_Tiffany@baylor.edu

Byron Roldan Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

Garage Sale Sorting Times...

Since our garage sale is later in the summer this year, we will have more time to sort/price items at a slower, more relaxed pace than before.  We are blocking out two hour-and-a-half times during the summer weeks for you to come and help out.  (These would also be GREAT times for you to bring your items to us.)  The times are as following...

TUESDAYS from 5:30-7:00 (beginning June 3)

THURSDAYS from 1-2:30 (beginning May 29)

These would be great opportunities for you both to serve the church in this very important activity to the financial life of our congregation, all while getting to know new people and having fun trying on all the crazy things people donate!

________

ITLOTC. May 23, 2014...

IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH

A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER FOR THE PEOPLE OF UBC, WACO, TX.

(During the summer months, while Josh is away on vacation, Craig will be responsible for the newsletter.  If you have anything you would like to include, please email craig@ubcwaco.org by Thursday morning. )

__________________

SUMMERS AT UBC

In the spring of 2001 I had been at UBC for almost a year and wanted to know how to get more involved in the life of the church. I was on the "Clean Team" which came to consist of one member-- me, but I didn't really have another way to make any meaningful connections with people from the church. Part of this was due to demographics. At the time UBC was roughly 98% college students. Most of the other 2% were Baylor grads who had been at UBC during their undergrad years and were sticking around for various reasons. I was neither.

What I did have was a lifetime of experience in "putting myself out there," inserting myself naturally into a community that wasn't trying to keep me out, but hadn't quite learned how to make newcomers feel welcome either.

The small community I grew up in began its slow, three decade transition from "rural town" to "bedroom community" in the mid 1970's. My parents were, back then, what has now become a cliche'-- those who wanted to raise their children in a community that had a small town feel, good schools, and was safe enough for a young child to roam freely throughout town. (Well, 2 out of 3 has now become cliche, as the stereotype has become small town, good schools, and well-lit back yards with privacy fences.)

What they may not have thought of, however, was that towns like this, at the time, were NOT made of "Johnny-Come-Latelies" who were looking for these things. They were made up of families whose ancestors had established the town, and whose descendants had become rooted into its soil and into its life. It was a "family town" in the sense that everyone in the town was family, in one way or another, with each other.

The parents of my classmates had been classmates with each other. I may have lived in the house I grew up in from the age of 2, but many of my friends lived on land purchased by their forefathers over a hundred years ago. I had free reign to roam the streets all over town with friends who shared last names with the names of the streets we were roaming.

Some of the children in my boat saw this reality as an injustice, regardless of how benevolent the citizens of the town tried to be toward newcomers. These children became the "I've got to get out of this one stoplight town as soon as I graduate" teenagers. They threw around the phrases "small town politics" and "hick town" like weapons.

Others, like me, took another tact-- We acted as if OUR grandparents built the town, and the streets we were roaming were named after US. Those who know me well will say this was probably an early sign of my enneagram "6ness" coming out, latching on to a place I could be loyal to. Perhaps this is true. Or perhaps my childhood naiveté helped me figure out instinctively what adults forget over time-- EVERYONE is looking for connection of some kind, even the descendants of the town's founders.

Which brings me back to the Spring of 2001.

I asked our pastor, Kyle Lake, what I could do to get more connected. He told me we were having a garage sale to help us stay afloat financially during the summer, and that it would be good if I could help out with that. I said yes, and began helping Kevin and Julie Morris sort the garage sale items that were crammed in the garage sale closet. (Back then this was the closet next to what used to be our food pantry. The amount of items we now collect would fill that room up five times over.)

Through working the garage sale I met others in the church-- Kris Freeman, Tracy Kelley, Wesley Carlin, John and Darby Perkins, Blair and Jordan Browning, to name a few. These were people who had arrived at UBC long before I had and who had, literally and figuratively, built the church. (Heresy hunters relax, I know God builds the church. But about ten times out of ten God uses humans to help the process along.) They also had already established relationships with each other. These UBC'ers were the equivalent of my friends back home who were the "legacy" of our town and what I discovered about both groups was similar. They wanted to "belong" as much as I wanted to.

So what am I saying? That if you want to get involved in the life of UBC then the only foolproof way to do so is to sign up to help with the garage sale?

ABSOLUTELY!

But not really. The truth is there is no guaranteed way to ensure that you feel like you belong here. In fact, I'll let you in on a little secret: UBC can be a hard place to feel like you belong. Another secret I have found is that some of the people MOST connected to the life of the church are those who feel that they are not no the "inside." These are all complicated realities that we are working hard to address and remedy.

But I do know this: A large number of UBC'ers who have found meaningful connections here have done so over the summer. And so I would encourage you to get involved in one way or the other. If you see people on the fringes, invite them out for sno-cones. If you are on the fringes, invite someone you don't know to a movie. For some of you this may feel like a risk. Well, it is. But I think it is a risk worth taking.

In addition to helping with garage sale (which you can sign up for in the foyer) here is a little about a couple of other opportunities... http://ubcwaco.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/summer-formation-opportunities/

----

UBC Camp In

Attention all UBCkids who are entering 1st grade! Congrats! You have dominated your first official year of school and to reward you, UBC is granting you entrance into the exclusive Root Class! As a celebration of this momentous event, we will be hosting our second annual UBCKids Camp-In for current and incoming members! On Sunday, May 25th at 6:00 PM, we will gather at Camp YooBeeCeeKinakaah (UBC) to have a night of campfire meals, obstacle courses, crafting, community-building and sleeping under the stars (***these will be artificial, as we will be indoors!***), all with the purpose of welcoming you into our fold! Your parents can pick you up on Monday, May 26th at 10:00 AM *sharp* (for the sake of our Camp Counselors!!!)

Here is the link for the evite.

Work is Worship 5-24-14

Coffee Makers:

Coffee Cleaner Upers:

Greeters:

Shut Down Team: Boys

Announcements

Sermon: Michael Laminack There will be no sunday school the weeks of May 18th & 25th. Sunday school will resume in the first week of June. More information to come. In case you missed it, Craig posted about the UBC summer opportunities on Friday.  You can view those here. Do you have an Emergency? Do you Need to talk to a Pastor?

254 366 9779

(please do not send texts to this number)

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Austin Tiffany Austin_Tiffany@baylor.edu

Byron Roldan Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC 5-18-14

Easter 2014

Goodbye Dear Friends

Friends,

This is 24 hours past due.  i apologize.  The Carney's, with the help of some UBC all stars, have spent the last 48ish hours moving.  I fear that the punctuality of this newsletter has become a casualty in that process.  If i'm honest so has my emotional energy.

I sit down to write with an enormous list of to-dos left and all looming larger as the beginning of my sabbatical approaches on  Monday.

When I started this newsletter in November I was silent about it.  I questioned my own ability to be consistent and write something meaningful.  And there have been some weeks where my main message was a bit lack luster.  But it has happened.  To even my surprise, I have written consistently.

And so even though I don't have a lot to say, I think it's important to say something.  Faithfulness is a feature of the kingdom.   And what I'd like to say to you on this last newsletter I write until August, is that I love you all.

I'm so grateful for this opportunity and this church.  UBC is a special place and it's a special place because of the community. There are plenty of places to find better preaching, better music, swankier buildings, but I would put our community up against anyones.

I'm excited for this summer and the things I know that God will do in my absence.  So unless I see you on Sunday, I'd like to take this opportunity to say warm regards friend, I'm grateful for you.

best,

josh

A Note From Toph About the DR

This coming week, 15 UBC’ers will have the chance to finish the work with our friends in Batey 50. Many of you have helped support our partnership in the Dominican either through fiancés, prayer, or as participant on the trip in 2012 or 2013, and we are excited to see the project coming to fruition. The floor has been poured, and our team will be painting and installing windows, doors, and electricity. The team this year is: Toph and Melissa Whisnant, Kareem Shane, Kim Shine, Jihye Lee, Caitlin Clossen, Kristi Goff, Byron Roldan, Alyssa Lorfing, Tucker Doiron, Rick Lhotan, Justin Partridge, Laura Tobey, Leigh Curl, and Rachel Vaughn. Will you commit to praying for our team as we go, and for the people of Batey 50? For the next two Sundays there will be pictures of the people of Batey 50 in the hallway at church, please take a moment to read the names on the back of the photos, and pray for the people of Batey 50. If you would like to keep up with how are team is doing, please consider checking this blog throughout the week: ubcinthedr.wordpress.com

UBC Camp In

Attention all UBCkids who are entering 1st grade! Congrats! You have dominated your first official year of school and to reward you, UBC is granting you entrance into the exclusive Root Class! As a celebration of this momentous event, we will be hosting our second annual UBCKids Camp-In for current and incoming members! On Sunday, May 25th at 6:00 PM, we will gather at Camp YooBeeCeeKinakaah (UBC) to have a night of campfire meals, obstacle courses, crafting, community-building and sleeping under the stars (***these will be artificial, as we will be indoors!***), all with the purpose of welcoming you into our fold! Your parents can pick you up on Monday, May 26th at 10:00 AM *sharp* (for the sake of our Camp Counselors!!!)

Here is the link for the evite.

Work is Worship 5-18-14

Coffee Makers: British Jon

Coffee Cleaner Upers: Allison Rogers & Dani Miller

Greeters:

Shut Down Team: Girls

Announcements

Sermon: Exodus 32:1-14 There will be no sunday school the weeks of May 18th & 25th. Sunday school will resume in the first week of June. More information to come. In case you missed it, Craig posted about the UBC summer opportunities on Friday.  You can view those here. Do you have an Emergency? Do you Need to talk to a Pastor?

254 366 9779

(please do not send texts to this number)

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Austin Tiffany Austin_Tiffany@baylor.edu

Byron Roldan Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

Summer Formation Opportunities...

Summer at UBC has a long history of being, frankly, quite epic.  The slower pace and increased space allow us to stretch back, relax, and get to know each other in ways that can be difficult during the school year.  In addition to several one-time events we are planning for the summer, there are a couple of weekly opportunities that we'd LOVE for you to be a part of.  

Summer Sunday School

Location: Rock and Roll Room

(Childcare IS provided.)

Sundays @ 9:30

Led by Michael Laminack

Many of us grew up hearing a million differing things about discipleship, formation and following Jesus.  But what did Jesus say about following Jesus and being formed into the person God wants us to be? More importantly, what did Jesus DO that can teach us about being formed into the person God wants us to be?  These questions will be explored during our summer Sunday School class.

- - -

Wednesday Night Enneagram Conversations

Location: Backside

Wednesdays @6:00

Led by Wade Mackey and Others

Alright, so some of you are tired of hearing about the enneagram. And some of you are curious about what all this talk is about.  Among the many ways people have used this personality model in their lives, many at UBC have found it particularly helpful in understanding ourselves, how we relate to God, and how we see the image of God in each other.  We will meet at the church at 6:00, eat our meals that we have brought (perhaps from Panda Joe's behind the church?) then begin the conversation at 6:30.  (Please let us know by May 31st if you want to attend but will need childcare in order to do so.)

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(anything below this is an advertisement.)

ITLOTC 5-9-14

 

Easter 2014

"That's showing me something" ... The Formation of Receiving.  

I'm going to tell a story about my friends, but leave them anonymous.

Bob and Suzy have been happily married for many years.  By all ways of measuring, they have lived/are living the good life.  One day when I was on the phone with Bob he broke the news that he had cancer.

I was shocked.  I had known more than one person with cancer, but never anyone as close to me as Bob.

I would talk to Bob and Suzy frequently.  They gave me updates about the cancer and how the doctors were going to treat Bob's cancer and in certain honest and vulnerable moments, about how Bob was doing.  Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

As treatment continued it became evident that Bob was going to have undergo a procedure that would take Bob and Suzy from their home for an extended period of time.

I've never been chronically sick, but I did visit a friend once who was in this sort of circumstance.  When this happens, the medical community offers an alternative form of housing.  A home away from home.  This home away from home was for his child.  When I visited, I noted to myself how nice the place was and how generous it was of organizations like the McDonalds House, to provide a living space for almost free.  Still even as nice it was, it certainly wasn't home.

Back to Bob and Suzy.  Bob and Suzy were staying in one of those home away from homes.  I don't think it was a McDonalds House, it may have been, but they were staying somewhere like that.

In one of my conversations with Bob he was telling me a story that was difficult for him to tell.  As a side effect of the cancer treatment Bob was receiving, his digestive system had been compromised.  He didn't have full control of it.  Bob shared that earlier that day him and Suzy were in the cafeteria at their home away from home when he was suddenly overwhelmed by the need to used the restroom.  Bob raced for the nearest restroom, but he didn't make it.

Because home away from home facilities are run as cheaply as possible, residents are often responsible for cleaning up after themselves.  Cleaning up after yourself includes when you don't make it to the restroom on time.  But here's what made matters more complicated for Bob.  Because his immune system was also compromised from the treatments he was not medically allowed to clean up his own mess.  Suzy had to.

When I was working my way through seminary I had a part time job with Cameron Park as a ranger.  I think I've mentioned in a previous newsletter that I had a partner that went by the name of Lanny.  Lanny was a great conversationalist.  We talked about everything.  Often our discussions were about life, faith and the intersection of the two.  Lanny coined a phrase that become formative for me.  When one of us would describe something that another human being did that Lanny found impressive or formative he would say, "that's showing me something."

"That's showing me something," became a phrase that we used to describe people who we felt were practicing Christian faith somewhere further down the trajectory of Christian discipleship than we believed we were.  When I told Lanny the story about Bob and Suzy, in reference to Suzy and her committed love in cleaning up Bob's mess I commented, "that's showing me something."  Without missing a beat and almost immediately after I was done Lanny said of Bob, "that's showing me something."

We are constantly told that it is better to give than receive.  But to that I want to say, especially in a country that builds an identity around self-sufficiency, it is harder to receive than to give.  Lanny was right, Bob showed me something too.

In last weeks newsletter I announced that I would be going on sabbatical this summer.  Later that day after Craig had edited the newsletter and I saw that note he added about the offering that would be taken up to help me take my sabbatical.  I immediately began squirming in my insecurity.

Sunday was excruciating.

I kept telling myself:

"people don't want to give to that"

"isn't it enough already that I get to take the sabbatical"

"some people earn their money from jobs they hate.  I love mine.  I don't deserve this help"

I was overwhelmed by your generosity last Sunday.  Cindy White is my sabbatical liaison.  After being blessed by your love I began a conversation with her about my insecurities.  She connect the theological dots for me in her reply, "receiving grace is a spiritual practice ... if we can open our hands with gratitude toward man then our chance of receiving grace from God is more likely."

After I got Cindy's text I remembered Bob and Suzy's story and my conversation with Lanny.  I smiled and offered a simple prayer to God, "That's showing me something."

Summer Preaching Schedule

Last week when I mentioned that I was taking sabbatical, I said that the preaching schedule was still being worked on.  It has been finalized.  I would like to ask that you spend time praying for each of these folks as they pour their hearts in a message that will pour into you.  I'm grateful for every one of them.

May 25th Michael Laminack June 1st Adam Winn June 8th (Pentecost) Christina Gibson June 15th (Trinity Sunday) Craig Nash June 22nd Brandon Morgan June 29th Natalie Webb July 6th Sharyl Loeung July 13th Mike Robinson July 20th Michael Laminack July 27th Dani Miller August 3rd B. J. Parker August 10th Toph Whisnant August 17th Cindy White

Meet Our Newest UBCer 

Name: Maccabee George Hemenway

Birthday: 4-30-14

Weight: 9lbs 5oz

Height: 20"

Enneagram Number: 5

Mother's Day Photo Booth

On behalf of all UBCers who were born, we say, "Thank you, mom!" Words cannot express what our moms mean to us, what they have done for us and how they have helped form us into the people we are today...but we want you to try! Be sure to stop by our Mother's Day photo booth to send a message from your heart, to your mom! Your message can be delivered via Twitter, Facebook, Email, Post or Pigeon...but whichever way you choose, be sure to tag ubcwaco so we can celebrate these beautiful women and their influence in our lives together as a community!

UBC Camp In

Attention all UBCkids who are entering 1st grade! Congrats! You have dominated your first official year of school and to reward you, UBC is granting you entrance into the exclusive Root Class! As a celebration of this momentous event, we will be hosting our second annual UBCKids Camp-In for current and incoming members! On Sunday, May 25th at 6:00 PM, we will gather at Camp YooBeeCeeKinakaah (UBC) to have a night of campfire meals, obstacle courses, crafting, community-building and sleeping under the stars (***these will be artificial, as we will be indoors!***), all with the purpose of welcoming you into our fold! Your parents can pick you up on Monday, May 26th at 10:00 AM *sharp* (for the sake of our Camp Counselors!!!) An Evite is headed your way with more information, but mark your calendars now...it will be EPIC!

Work is Worship 5-11-14

Coffee Makers: Jeff Latham & Dan Padgett

Coffee Cleaner Upers: Jana Parker & Kristin Dodson

Greeters: Gabby Pucket & Becky Fowler

Shut Down Team: Boys

Announcements

• Sermon: 1 Peter 2:19-25
• There will be no sunday school the weeks of May 18th & 25th.  Sunday school will resume in the first week of June. More information to come.
• UBC Enneagram discussions led by Wade Macky and Kristen Richardson will begin June 4th and continue on Wednesdays this summer.  More information to come.

Do you have an Emergency? Do you Need to talk to a Pastor?

254 366 9779

(please do not send texts to this number)

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Austin Tiffany Austin_Tiffany@baylor.edu

Byron Roldan Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com

ITLOTC 5-2-14

Easter 2014

Sabbatical

In our January leadership team meeting, the leadership team proposed that I be given a sabbatical as soon as possible and that, with the help of our human resources team, that we add a sabbatical policy to our employee handbook.  Both of the those initiatives were worked on and approved in our April leadership team meeting.

So I will be gone on a sabbatical this summer.  My last Sunday will be May 18th and I will resume my UBC duties on August 17th.

I'm very excited.

Since I began this job in 2007 a lot has changed.  Two community pastors have left and two more have been hired.  A social worker left.  Two office managers have come and gone.  Our worship and arts pastor transitioned and we are also on our second children's pastor.

In that time we have also written and adopted new bylaws (thanks Craig), changed the leadership structure of the organization, formed a human resources team,  and forged a new mission statement.  We've renovated two rooms ... demanded by the ever growing children's ministry and we have asked good and important questions about identity.

That's a lot for seven years.

My friend Burt has given me language to understand what has/is happening.  He tells me that every new movement eventually becomes an institution and then new movements pop up in their place.

UBC will be 20 in January and the last 7 years have been about the growing pains of transition of movement to institution.

I will be the first one in line to tell you how fantastic and truly unique I think UBC is.  And to get that uniqueness you really have to commit to being in the life of the community.  It's an ethos and those can't be explained, it's experienced.  I have endured the difficulties of this job with ease because I'm feel so incredibly blessed and privileged to have this job.  This job is a lot of work, but it is meaningful work.  It is good work.

But i have to confess something.

I'm tired.

I've noticed a change in myself this year.  It has been a good year, but it has been a hard year.  I suspect that some of that change is chemical and has to do with aging.  Some of it has to do with the structure change that was implemented last year and the steep learning curve that came with it.  But I think a lot of it has to do with this type of work.  I want to humbly suggest that pastoring demands a different part of the self than most jobs.  It's not the hardest job, but it is what it is and after 7 years this August, it has caught up with me.

I always try and be careful when I talk about providence ... but I feel God's grace and timing in this.

I thought I would take some time to answer a few questions that you might be asking.

What is a sabbatical? 

This from Eugene Peterson's Contemplative Pastor:

"Sabbatical years are the biblically based provision for restoration.  When the farmer's field is depleted, it is given a sabbatical -- after six years of planting and harvesting, it is left alone for a year so that the nutrients can build up in it.  When people in ministry are depleted, they also are given a sabbatical -- time apart for recovery of spiritual and creative energies."

I'd also like to include this video featuring Truett's Robert Creech, that David Wilhite prepared for the leadership team when they were in the discerning process.

What will you do?

The title of my sabbatical proposal is "A Geography of Faith."  This summer I will be doing a good deal of traveling.  The theme that emerged as I was preparing was "place."  I will be spending time in Montana, Canada, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Italy, Germany, and Ireland.

The stated purpose of my sabbatical is: "The purpose of this sabbatical is to use my time for rest, formation, and planning."

These three words were shaped by research that the leadership team did on sabbatical.  Angela Reed is Truett's spiritual formation director.  She did her research on sabbaticals at Princeton.  She suggests that a healthy sabbatical be a minimum of three months.  One month to decompress.  One month for formation.  One month for reentry.

Thus my summer will be used in such fashion.  In my proposal I have listed specific goals and learning competencies that will shape how I use the time I have been gifted by our community.

Who is going to do your job while you are gone?

Because the pastoral role is a unique it is impossible to cover every aspect of someone’s job in his/her absence. That being said a lot can be covered.

Here is how my responsibilities will be divided up in my absence.

Toph: staff meetings, July leadership team meeting, and pastoral counseling.

Craig: newsletter and discerning theological responses as needed.

Tye: Worship planning as it relates to the homiletical moment, managing the shut down teams on Sunday mornings and closing the building.

Michelle: All office related functions, Work is Worship.

Emily: Ministering to new families.

I've filled eleven of the thirteen weeks in the preaching schedule.  I will publish those names when it is finalized.

Who is paying for all of this? 

I will continue to paid my normal UBC salary while I'm gone.  Because of UBC's current financial position and because this moment is a impromptu, sabbatical is not in the annual budget.  I will be paying for the costs associated with my travel expenses.

I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity and would ask that if you feel compelled, that you would support me and my family by praying for us this summer.

Here are some of our prayer needs:

• Traveling Mercies
• For Lindsay who will have all the kids for four of the weeks while I travel internationally
• For unique opportunities to be surprised by God and other people
• For UBC, that it would thrive in my absence and that I would not worry about church stuff while i'm gone
• For renewal of my soul so that I will have new and fresh energy to give to our community when I get back
• For a deepening in my own formation and discipleship

Grateful for all of you,

Josh

A note from Craig: There will be a special opportunity this Sunday, May 4, for the UBC community to contribute to the financial needs associated with his Sabbatical.  It is our desire that we can be as generous to Josh during this time as he has been to us.  Any contributions to this offering should be seen as something above and beyond your normal tithe.

Study Hall Days

It is that time of year again, and the church will be open from 10am-midnight on Monday and Tuesday (May 5th and 6th) for you to study. We will have snacks and drinks set up in the backside, and our traditional late night pancakes will be at 10pm on Tuesday night. Good luck on finals everyone!

Singo de Mayo 

Join us May 5th for a concert featuring soon to be famous Waco band Cheifly Palomino. The show is sure to be awesome and keeping with tradition, Tye will be making tacos! See you there!

Work is Worship 5-2-14

Coffee Makers: Austin Tiffany & Marshall Hinders

Coffee Cleaner Upers: Sarah Joyave & Vince Cooley

Greeters: Jack & Jana Parker

Shut Down Team: Girls

Announcements

• Sermon:  this Sundays sermon will be brought to you by Toph and Mr. Rogers.
• Sunday School: Come check out one of our participatory Easter Sunday School classes
• Senior Sunday if you are graduate of any sort (PhD, masters, bachelor) and have not contacted toph@ubcwaco.org ... please do.  we'd like to recognize you Sunday as part of the service.
• Dos de Mayo date night, TONIGHT.  6-9 PM.  If you are interested email Michelle@ubcwaco.org

Do you have an Emergency? Do you Need to talk to a Pastor?

254 366 9779

(please do not send texts to this number)

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: Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com

Kristin Dodson kschwebke@prodigy.net

Kaley Eggers kaley.eggers@gmail.com

David Wilhite david_wilhite@baylor.edu

Austin Tiffany Austin_Tiffany@baylor.edu

Byron Roldan Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu

Teri Walter terijan@gmail.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu

Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu

Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@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.

Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu

Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu

Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu

Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com