ITLOTC 2-14-14

That word “Love”

Every time I’m asked to a do a wedding, I’m thrilled.  I recently heard a friend say that weddings are the closest thing a pastor does that resembles magic.  He or she says something like “I now pronounce you man and wife,” and in the sphere where Christians locate meaning, those words matter.  The couple really is married and a spiritual reality is present after those words that was not before.  It’s a great privilege.

Since I began pastoring seven years ago weddings are something I’ve learned to love again.  Given the awesome responsibility of shepherding that moment in people’s lives has caused me to think more deeply about what’s happening and what I’m saying.  I want to give care to that moment.  Part of that process of care is inviting the couple to think through what the ceremony looks like.  At some point we talk about the text and I ask them to help me pick one.  Usually the couple will defer and I’ll do my best to listen the voice of the Spirit and think about the couples personalities and needs to determine what to use.  Whenever I ask though, I hold my breath hoping they won’t pick 1 Corinthians 13.

It’s probably not fair, in fact I know it isn’t because it’s a form of judgment, but for years when I would go to weddings and hear 1 Corinthians 13 read, I would think to myself “you have no idea what those words really mean.”  The truth is neither did I.  Stanley Hauerwas has suggested that when a couple confesses their vows theres no way they can really know what they are saying in that moment.  We can hear and see and feel what a covenantal relationship looks like and might cost us, but we only know those things in their essence when we experience them.  For this reasons, when I do premarital counseling I’ll ask a couple to imagine a worst case scenario.  Something like … she gets in a car accident and becomes quadriplegic for the rest of her life.  Or he falls into a deep depression at 35 and never really comes back from it.  And then I ask them, “do you really want to be committed to that?”

This week friend asked me to watch a movie called The End of All Wars.  It came out in 2001.  I didn’t remember hearing about it and it stars Kiefer Sutherland.  Two strikes against it, but my friend’s enthusiasm was enough to convince me to give it a try.  It was so good at points that I forgot to breathe.  The story is about a group of Scottish soldiers who end up in a prisoner of war camp in Thailand run by the Japanese.  One of the soldiers persists in bitterness and resentment.  He grows to hate his Japanese captors and comes up with a plan to take the camp and kill them.  His plan fails and he’s sentenced to death.    This is what happens.  It’s more powerful if you know the back story, but as I was watching the guy get crucified one of the thoughts I had was, “that’s the sort of love that makes marriage work.”

I guess the issue here is what I detect in the flippancy of our use of the word love, especially on holidays like this one.  To my surprise that’s not unique to America in 2014.  I was recently rereading some NT Wright and came across this.

“It isn’t simply a matter, as some people used to think, of getting back to the “true” meaning of the Greek word agapē.  That word, actually, had almost as much of a checkered career in the centuries before and after Paul as our word “love” (and, for that matter, “charity”) has had in the last three hundred years … The specific meaning of agapē which we find in the New Testament isn’t the result of the early Christians discovering a word which already said exactly what they wanted to say and latching on to it.  Rather, they seem to have settled quickly on this word as the best available one, and they then gave it fresh privilege of carrying a new depth of meaning in which some aspects of its previous career were highlighted  and others were set aside.  The early Christians, in fact, did with the word agapē pretty much what they did with the ancient notion of virtue.  They picked it up, soaked it in the message and achievement of Jesus, and gave it new life, a new sort of life."

On this Valentines Day I pray that the love you give to relationships will be soaked in the message and achievement of Jesus.

Meet The Leadership Team

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

Meet Austin Tiffany

Vocation (could be your job or something you love doing that you believe you were made for): I am a senior at Baylor studying religion and sociology. I'm especially interested in how and why different faith groups interact with each other, and I've been accepted to Cambridge to study that kind of thing.

Favorite Movie: Dark Knight Trilogy

Best Restaurant in Waco:  El Crucero

Bible verse/chapter/book that is meaningful for you:  Genesis 32:22-32 (where Jacob wrestles with an angel)

Best Television Show: Parks and Rec

Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving (because that's when I get grandmother's pumpkin pie)

Something we might not know about you: I am obsessed with the Olympics to an unhealthy extent (I love the winter and summer games equally)

Hobby: Reading, day hikes, road trips/traveling in general

How Can You Support Our Mission to the DR?  Read This.

This May we will be completing the school in Batey 50, and I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the team.  Please be praying for us as we prepare to go, and as we complete the school in Batey 50.   Our team is: Toph Whisnant, Melissa Rowland Whisnant, Caitlin Closeen, Kareem Shane, Jihye Lee, Kim Shine, Byron Roldan, Kristi Goff, Tucker Doiron, Rick Lhotan, Justin Partridge, Laura Tobey, Leigh Curl, Alyssa Lorfing, and Rachel Vaughn.  
If you would like to support one of our team members, please consider buying a shirt through the link below:

http://thesimpleengine.com/store/ubcwaco/UBCWacoDR2014

A message from Tye

First of all I would like to thank The Digital Age and Wes Bulter for leading us these past two weeks. We are so fortunate to be a part of a community that has such talented artist who are willing to lead us. Be sure and find each of them on Facebook and let them know how much you appreciate them.  

These past two weekends I have been away with the Gladsome Light leading the music for D Now weekends, discipleship retreats for youth. I was able to visit First Baptist Church Tyler, home church of our former Pastor Kyle Lake. It was a very meaningful weekend to say the least. In many ways FBC Tyler looks upon our band and our church as a familial extension of the ministry of their beloved Kyle, because of this many of them are more open to hearing from a rock and roll band than almost any other place we visit.

Last weekend we were at my home church in Amarillo. It was a great joy to get to lead in worship Sunday morning all of those that led me and helped develop me into a leader. We were also invited to sing at the high school. It was terrifying!

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support. It is great to see how God is using music and UBC to form and influence students.

Peace,

Tye

P.S. This next Saturday afternoon, I will be playing a show at Royer Pie Haven in Round Top, Texas. If you want to join us for the day there should be plenty of room in the van. Yes, there will be free pie.

Vacuum Cleaner

Still looking for extra vacuum cleaners if you have a spare. email josh@ubcwaco.org.

Work Is Worship

2-16-14

Coffee: Marshall Hinders & Tyler Clark

Coffee Clean Up: Jess Hinshaw & Leigh Curl

Greeters: Sarah Picken & Claire Cole

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon Text: John 7:37-39
• John Sunday School:  John 7:37-39
• Christians in the Headlines: Religious Violence and Conflict
• Psalms of Ascent Sunday School: 123 & 124
• Love, Love Feast this Sunday Night, February 16^th at 6:00 PM
• Marriage Ministries Presents: Round Table Discussions ... February 23rd 6:30 PM.  Child care provided.
• Please be in prayer for my friend Lindsey Trozzo who will be preaching Sunday.

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

254 366 9779

Getting to Know You(BC): Tye Barrett...

Name: Tye Barrett

Age: 29

Where do you call home?

Waco, but I am from Amarillo, TX. The greatest medium sized rural city in America.

What do you do in Waco? I create music for our church and with my friends.

What do you love most about UBC?

The people here are family to me.

Favorite Movie?

Rushmore

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A cowboy

What do you want to be now when you grow up?

A chef

 Favorite artist/band/musician?

Wilco

Best Burger in Waco?

Double R

What do we HAVE to know about you to really know you?

Pie is my love language. Buttermilk Pie is the strongest expression of that love!

What is your dream vacation?

My dream vacation would be an around the world trip with my wife Katie or a road trip across America with Katie and our dog Tillie!

ITLOTC 2-7-14

New Roman Women:

We are now two weeks into February.  As such Baptist are celebrating Martha Stearns Marshall month.  Last week we were blessed by the preaching talents of Natalie Webb and next week, February 16th, my friend Lindsey Trozo will bring the thunder.

Something I have never done from the pulpit is establish why UBC has taken this position.  I can't really do that here, but I did want to say a few things and address one text in particular that I think is problematic for this position.

Though there are some texts that speak restrictively against women being in positions of authority in the church (1 Corinthians 14:34 & 1 Timothy 2:12), there is also a substantial amount in the Bible about women doing just that.  Whether it's Huldah interpreting the Deuteronomical material recovered by King Josiah, Deborah the Judge, Mariam the sister of Moses, Lydia, a successful business woman, providing space for the church in Thyatira, Priscilla, Junia, Phoebe in Rome, or Syntyche & Euodia in Philippians, the Bible is full of women leading in significant ways in the church.

Still, troubling texts remain.  One such text that has always struck me as not just odd, but downright crazy is 1 Timothy 2:15.  It reads, "But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety."  Yikes!  What about the protestant belief of justification by faith alone.  And what about women who struggle with infertility?  What on earth could have possibly been meant by this?

There is a chapter in Scot McKnight's book The Blue Parakeet that deals with this issue eloquently and exhaustively.  I recommend reading it if you get a chance.  From his chapter on the New Roman Woman I want to quote two things extensively.

Scot says:

"When Paul wrote his letters to the Christians in Corinth and to Timothy in Ephesus, a gender and sexual revolution  was observable in many of the major cities of the Roman Empire.  What many today are calling "new Roman woman" describes an aggressive, confrontational public presence on the part of women during the very time Paul was writing these letters... Three features of the new Roman woman set our passage in its historical context.  

First, the new Roman woman was expressing her newfound freedoms in immodest, sexually provocative, and extravagant dress.  Rome was not terribly conservative, but those women were flouting even the limits of the Romans. 

Second, the new Roman woman was noted for snatching the podium for public addresses and teaching. 

Third, especially in Ephesus, alongside the presence of the new Roman woman was the Artemis religious fertility cult.  The worship cult not only favored  the freedom of women in public religion as did the new Roman woman movement, but it also surrounded these worshipers with eunuch (castrated males) priests.  Part of their worship was the elimination of normal sexual relations; these women despised marriage and childbearing.  Furthermore, this fertility cult extended their sexual and gender freedoms into open practices of abortion and contraception."

McKnight uses these suppositions and some texts from antiquity to argue for an understanding  of Paul's command that "women need to be silent" not a generalization of his beliefs about women in ministry, but as addressing a specific problem created by women from this movement.  McKnight would suggest that the command to "keep quiet" is there so that the new Roman women could learn and (admittedly an argument from silence) eventually have a voice in the community.

As to the specific issue of Timothy 2:15?  McKnight suggest, "I doubt very much that Paul is demanding that all women everywhere marry, have children, and manage their homes.  But if we factor in the new Romans woman's desire to end marriage and childbearing and to pursue instead a sexually promiscuous life, Paul is countering those ideas with the virtue of marriage and managing a home." 

Perhaps you are female reading this and you don't think this goes far enough.  I'm sensitive to that critique and have found some versions of Christian feminism compelling.  That being said I think McKnights work with this text helps locate the whole of the hermeneutical trajectory of women in ministry in a healthy place.  It is a movement towards, I think, Christ honoring liberation for women and a vision of the kingdom to come.

Meet the Leadership Team:

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

Meet Teri Walter

Vocation (could be your job or something you love doing that you believe you were made for):  Speech Pathologist

Favorite Movie: Currently Midnight in Paris and Elf

Best Restaurant in Waco: 1424

Bible verse/chapter/book that is meaningful for you: Be Still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!'  Ps 46:10, because I need this, I need to be still.

Best Television Show: Downton Abbey, this season of American Idol

Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving, all of my family comes to Waco, I love it.

Something we might not know about you: I have ridden in the Goodyear Blimp

Hobby: my new grandson Walter!, Zumba, reading

Meet Our Newest UBCer:

Name: Averie Grace Kitten

Birthday: 1-30-14

Height: 20.5 inches

Weight: 8 lbs. 12 oz.

Enneagram Number: 1

Speaking of new UBCers, Averie's mom Crystal, is responsible for coordinating all the meals that all the other new moms received from all you great UBCers.  So I say it's payback time darn it!  If you haven't signed up for a meal yet, please consider blessing the Kitten family this way.

Church Need:

UBC is in need of a few healthy vacuum cleaners.  If you have a good one that you are planning on garage saleing or if you looking for the way to bless the church, we could use one.

Family Ministries Spring Calendar:

1. Marriage Ministry Presents: Round Table Discussions (February 23 @ 6:30/childcare provided) 2. Children’s Service (March 2nd) 3. Fat Tuesday Pancake Dinner and Lent Workshop Kickoff (March 4th @ 5:30 PM) 4. Game Day at Baylor Soccer Field (March 23rd After Church) 5. South Waco Community Center/UBC Easter Egg Hunt (April 12th, 11:00 AM) 6. Marriage Ministry Presents: Game night (April 12th, 6:30 PM/childcare provided) 7. Picnic in the Park Palm Sunday (April 13th, After Church) 8. Dos de Mayo Date Night (May 2nd, 6:00 PM)

A Message from Emily: 

We will be getting T-Shirt sizes for the kids and helpers this Sunday for the UBCKids Service.  The cost will be $8.00 a shirt (if the cost is a problem, they can contact me!)  We will be tie-dying them at the evening practice and would love for each child to have a shirt for the service!

Also, our big UBCKids Service evening practice will be Thursday, February 27th from 4:00-6:00!  Pizza will be served and we will be tie-dying shirts, so wear something that can get messy!  If you can't make it, let me know and we will tie-dye your child's shirt for them!

Thanks~

Emily

Work is Worship: 

2-9-14

Coffee Makers: Marshall Hinders

Coffee Cleaners: Kaley Eggers, Monike Garabieta, & Marcus Mataga

Greeters: Joben David & ????

Announcements:

• Our bible verses for Sundays sermon are Matthew 5:1-12.
• John Sunday School Class: John Chapters 3 & 4 with particular attention paid to the difference in Jesus conversations between the Samaritan woman and Nicodemus. 
• Psalms of Ascent Sunday School Class: Revisiting Psalm 121 and introducing Psalm 122.
• Christians in the Headlines Sunday School Class: This Article.
• UBC Love, Love Feast February 16th at 6:00 PM

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

254 366 9779

Marriage Ministry Events...

Last fall we began to be more intentional about nurturing the health of the marriages in our congregation.  Between our marriage seminars, Hitched Dinners and Emerging Parents, we saw a lot of great movement in this area.  We wanted to make you aware of a couple of events in the coming months to put on your calendar.  These particular events are for ALL married couples-- newlywed, oldywed, with kids or without.  Childcare will be provided.

---

Marriage "Roundtable"

Sunday, February 23rd @ 6:30p.m.

Similar to the marriage seminars we held last semester, this will be a time to get together and discuss several aspects of marriage.  Couples will join each other around a table working through "case studies," and will share their findings with the entire group.  This time will be facilitated by Josh Carney.

---

Game Night

Saturday, April 12th @ 6:30p.m.

There will be one agenda for this time together-- FUN! We are currently working on a spot off-site for games, so you can drop your kids off at the church and not worry about them for a bit.  (This is the same day of the Easter Egg Hunt, so just put on your calendar a great big UBC FUN DAY in the April 12th square.)

ITLOTC 1-31-14

The importance of Owning a Mistake

As a child I grew up tucked away on three acres on Mable Lake.  Cable television would have never (and still hasn't) reached that remote part of the universe and a satellite dish was, at the time, about 13 feet in diameter and a luxury that a small town pastor's family could not afford.  Our sole chance of being entertained was provided by a spotty antenna that delivered ABC, CBS, NBC, and PBS in the spring.

As antennas improved I was able to eek CBS on a small TV in my room.  Though it was scrambled I could hear and clearly and made a habit out of listening to David Letterman.  It became a ritual for me.  Though I generally thought Leno had better guests, I loved Letterman's timing even if I didn't understand the socio-political state of the world sometimes required to get his dry humor.

Ever since then I have been a Letterman person and so was disappointed back in 2009 when he was accused and found guilty of having an affair.  It's not like I thought he was an upstanding moral citizen, but I was still slightly disappointed.  I'll never forget when he come on the air the weekend after the story broke and apologized.  He was so direct and to the point.  He didn't try and pad the news or offer an excuse.  He just owned it.  Though his mistake remained, his apology was an anomaly in the world of celebrity.  I found it inspiring.  With professional athletes denying PED allegation and politicians covering up scandals here was a guy who completely accepted his problem fully and publicly from the get go.  Growing up when I'd witness something similar I'd note to myself how I felt and determine that if I was ever in a position to offer an apology I would.

This last Sunday I preached about the unity of the church.  In that sermon I wanted to point out that in order for diversity to exist together long enough for unity to emerge, that diversity must be protected even when it's difficult.  By way of illustration I offered my marriage with my wife as an example.  After exploring the topic of marital strife and fighting I stated that those fights worked because we never said the word divorce nor it was an option.

On Monday I got a generous email from an individual who has been divorced.  This person humbly shared their experience and cared enough about the issue and me to help me see the situation from another angle.  After reading the email I thanked them and asked if I could share an edited version with you, to which they graciously agreed.

Thank you friend, for your courage on behalf of yourself and those who have shared your experience.

Hey Josh,

I wanted to mention something that I’ve been thinking about from your sermon today. You were making the point about unity and used an illustration from your marriage where you said that one thing that fosters unity (even during fights) is you and Lindsay’s agreement to never talk about divorce.  I did hear what you said before this illustration – that you know that there are some situations where divorce seems to be unavoidable. Your intentions in caring for people who have been in unhealthy and unsustainable marriages is clear, and I really appreciate that. It was thoughtful (and risky, I know) to say what you did.

Anyway, it dawned on me that I don’t think I ever really talked to you about my previous marriage and the end of that marriage. Of course, I did talk to the pastor of the church where I was a member at that time. Anyway, after church today, I feel like I’d like to share just a little bit about that, in relation to your illustration.

Before we got married, my ex went out of his way to make sure to make sure that we would never ever talk about divorce, never even say the D-word. I thought this was a good idea - seems pretty obvious. But I think now that this was a way for him to create a safe space, not for our unity, but for him to be increasingly abusive. I’ll spare you the details. For two years, I never talked to anyone about the way that he treated me, and I really thought that if I just kept trying harder, things would get better. In the end, when I finally did go to talk to someone and get help, he decided it would be better to not be married than to acknowledge and address the brokenness of our marriage. After it became clear that reconciliation was not possible, I finally asked him if he wanted a divorce. He said, yes. And that was it - the extent of our conversation on the matter.

I'm telling you this because I want you to know that not talking about divorce doesn't really do anything to keep it from happening. In fact, what I've found from my experience and from the experiences of others, is that many abusers are very intentional about taking divorce off the table so that the people they are with are effectively trapped. This is especially so when they can give it the force of piety or religious obligation. In my situation, when I finally told someone for the first time about what our marriage looked like, the jig was up and he cut all ties with me and anyone who knew me.

Now, I really think that most people have very good intentions in not talking about divorce. And I don’t think it is healthy to use divorce as a threat, which I know is another way some people manipulate and abuse their spouses. But even for the happiest and healthiest of couples, denying the fragility of our relationships can also be a way of neglecting the maintenance that all relationships need.

I’m betting that in actuality, what makes for a safe space for you and Lindsey’s fights is not the absence of the word “divorce” (although I think that is good), but the presence of ten years of practicing love and patience. Years of children who you care for together, of meals cooked and shared, ten years of proving your trustworthiness to each other fight after fight after fight. Ten years of apologizing for broken dishes and for yelling and ten years of working together to clean up the mess and reconcile through the fights.

So, the rational, happily re-married, friend-of-the-pastor part of my brain understands your illustration today and gets what you meant. But I also have the part of my brain that will always hear everything as a devoted wife to an abusive husband. And what that woman takes away from illustrations like that is: “Well even the preacher throws things, so my husband probably isn’t that bad. Maybe the way he treats me is normal.” She is affirmed in her inability to even consider getting help or talking to anyone. And her husband is affirmed in his ability to do whatever he wants with no fear of her leaving. I know that is not at all what you meant to convey, and you probably didn’t convey that to anyone. But that’s what I would have heard.

There’s also a part of me that is still very wounded by my first marriage and insecure about my place in the church afterwards. What that part of me thinks is, “Well, Lindsey yells at Josh and Josh breaks things and they are still together. Why couldn’t I make my marriage work? Is there something wrong with me? Did I not try hard enough?” When it seems like not talking about divorce is a guarantee of marital sustainability, I feel like people around me are staring at me thinking, “Wow, if only she hadn’t talked about divorce, then she wouldn’t be divorced,” or “Wow, she and her ex-husband must have talked about divorce all the time.” Now, I know how ridiculous that is. And I know that probably no one is thinking about me at all. But somehow, in that moment I still feel kind of small.

This is not a big deal for me. I can shake that kind of thing off and remember where I am and what I believe and that I know you personally and know what you were getting at. But it makes me start thinking about other faces in the congregation who don’t know you and whose loss is much more fresh than mine. People whose spouses continue to threaten them with hellfire and damnation while at the same time physically and emotionally abusing them. These people are in our church. And these spouses and ex-spouses are in our church. And I’m betting there are one or two seemingly happily married couples (or dating couples) in the church for whom this is an underlying dynamic. I know we can’t help stepping on some toes when we preach, but I also know that the last thing you want to do is affirm an abuser while stepping on the wounded toes of the abused.

Anyway, know that I think you are great and I’m so glad you’re my pastor! I’m not upset with you or even asking you to change anything. I just feel like I might be able to provide some insight into a section of the congregation that I hope you will never have to be in.

Meet The Leadership Team

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

Meet David Wilhite

Vocation (could be your job or something you love doing that you believe you were made for):   I teach early Christian history and theology at Truett/Baylor.

Favorite Movie: The Last Dragon (1985), featuring "Bruce Leeroy" and "Sho Nuff"

Best Restaurant in Waco:  Mi Taquilla

Bible verse/chapter/book that is meaningful for you:  2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Best Television Show: The Muppets

Favorite Holiday: 4th of July (if you're on the lake; otherwise, Thanksgiving).

Something we might not know about you: I have a 1st degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do

Hobby: Anything with family, friends, and/or involving the outdoors.

Empty Nester and Almost Empty Nesters

Are your kids way past Sponge Bob and Dora?  Do you pay more for car insurance than health insurance?  Do folks ask if you qualify for the senior citizen discount?  If so you might be eligible to be part of empty nester and almost empty nester group.

The next event will be dinner.  It held on Friday, February 14^th at 6:30 in the home of Jim & Mindy Wren.  Their address is 1700 Royal Oaks Drive, Waco, Texas 76710.

Please RSVP (call or text) to Linda Taft if you plan to attend, 254 717 8191.

Church Need

There is a fence on the backside (northeast) of the church that is made of bamboo.  A few of our fence pieces have gone missing.  I fear these missing pieces will only invite more mischief.  Would you be willing to find a few pieces of bamboo and repair this fence?  If so email josh@ubcwaco.org.  Thanks.

Work Is Worship

 2-2-14

Coffee: Katie Wilson & Daniel Lairmore

Coffee Clean Up: Dan Picken

Greeters: Paul & Linda Taft

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon Text: Luke 2:41-52
• John Sunday School Class: John 2:13-25
• Love-Love Feast: February 16^th at 6:00 P.M.
• The Culture Sunday School class has posted an article on our website.  Even if you don’t go to that class, Toph is encouraging folks to read the article and give feedback.  Read it here.   Comment on the Facebook thread on the UBC Facebook page.
• Penny Lynn Duke will be dedicated this Sunday.  Please be in prayer for her and her family.
• CDs for the children's service will be available in the children's rooms after church this sunday.

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

254 366 9779

Getting to Know You(bc): Will Knight...

  Name: Will Knight

Age: I am 30.

Where do you call home?

A small little town known as Belton, TX. It has that small town feel with a lot of great people. The longer that I have been in Waco it is becoming more and more home.

What do you do in Waco?

I am the Operations Manager for Heart of Texas Produce. We sell fruit and vegetables to restaurants, schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.

What do you love most about UBC?

How outgoing everyone is. No matter where you are in life everyone makes it a mission to make all feel welcome. On Sunday morning, Wednesday for Communion or Pub Group, at Home Group, or just running into each other around town.

Favorite Movie?

There are so many great movies. If I have to pick one it would have to be Hunt for the Red October.

 books/author?

My favorite book of all time is Being George Washington and anything scifi. Author is a little harder. It would be a tie between Brad Thor and Vince Flynn.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Astronaut. I always had a fascination about space and exploring it.

What do you want to be now when you grow up?

A spy or maybe a critic so I can try a lot of different stuff.

You say you might want to be a critic.  What do you want to criticize?  

Food.  I love good food.  They also talk about service and cleanliness of restaurants. It is about the combination of all three.

Favorite artist/band/musician?

Flyleaf. It is kind of cool cause I went to high school with some of the band members. Being able to watch them grow to what they are today is epic.

Best Burger in Waco?

Smashburger.

What do we HAVE to know about you to really know you?

I enjoy comic books. It is what has kept my interest in scifi and started my fascination with superheros. If you have not picked up already I'm a scifi fan. Everything from Star Wars to Doctor Who to Battlestar Galactica and beyond. If it's scifi I'm in.

Who is your favorite superhero?

Gambit. He is always laid back and cool about everything.

ITLOTC 1-24-14

How Much Does A Pastor Really Make? On one of my visits to Facebook world this week I spotted this article, which was posted by my friend.  If you didn’t click the link, the premise/the title is “Why Your Pastor Doesn’t Make Enough Money.”

There’s a checklist in the article that explains why Pastors leave the ministry.   It’s a “hazard” list.  As I went through the list in my head I silently replied “nope” to most of them.  UBC really is a great place work.  I’m not sure, but I think that most of us on staff probably make less than we could elsewhere.  It’s really important that you understand I don’t list that as a complaint or even to try solicit raises for everyone.  Rather I want to point out the powerful pull of the ethos, that I suspect is a big factor in making UBC a place we love to work.

When Dave and Chris cast a vision for the church almost 20 years ago, they did with specific language and ideas that have protected the church all these years.  We  are not a church that argues over carpet colors or choir robes.  Those sorts of things have never been an issue.  Of course the institutional structures that give space for those sorts of arguments come with their own advantages, but again we’ve never been blessed and/or cursed with those issues.  Here’s a succinct way to put it.  If we are going to call a spade a spade, then carpet colors and choir robes are “BS” issues.  I’ll let you decide how to fill out the abbreviation.  UBC is a great place to work because we don’t deal with a lot of BS issues.

Lest I leave the impression that it’s perfect, let me be clear that it is not.  As a staff we’ve had our fair share of arguments and occasionally we receive complaints (usually indirectly) from someone in the congregation who is frustrated.   But I’ve often reflected that the things we fight about are things that are worth fighting about.  They are issues of ecclesiology and theology and the process we use to make decisions and the decisions we come to know matter deeply.

I have a lot of pastor friends who I've heard lament their situations.  I would take my problems over theirs most days.

But there is a better reason that makes pastoring at UBC great.  There is a richer form of intangible currency that ends up in our proverbial pockets every month.

I sometimes reflect on how long I will do what I am doing.  The blessing and curse of what I would refer to as “a call” is that there is part of your decision making that you don’t really think belongs to you.  The conclusion to this journey evades me, but I do know this, every time Lindsay and I have made a major decision in our life there seems to be a transcendent peace that comes with it.  I cannot see the end of my road, but that doesn’t stop from reflecting from the place of telos from time to time.  When I enter that mental space I think about what I might miss most about this job.  What I have discovered has surprised me.

It is the profound privilege of being invited into your suffering.  A lot of jobs have their own perks.  Athletes can compensate friends and family with tickets.  An editor gets to see amazing work before the rest of the world.    A car dealer always has something new to drive.  Teachers get summer (kind of).

The pastor gets invited into the recesses of the human heart.

And why should that be such a gift?

Philip Yancey writes this, “For some time I accompanied a friend to a life-threatening-illness support group, which met monthly in a hospital waiting room.  I cannot say I “enjoyed” those meetings, yet every month, walking home, I had the sense that the evening was one of the most meaningful I had spent.  We skipped trivialities and faced into the issues most urgent to everyone in the room—death and life, and how best to spend what time remained.”

Every time someone walks into my office with their pain in tow I’m floored that they have invited me to share it with them.  About a month ago someone came into to confess that he and his wife had a miscarriage.  I did what I always do.  I listened, talked without trying to say more than I actually know, and prayed and when they left I think I probably felt more ministered to by their invitation to care than they did by the care I gave.

In that moment, and in so many like it, I did not doubt that my work had immense meaning.  I will never get over that.

Empty Nester and Almost Empty Nesters

Are your kids way past Sponge Bob and Dora?  Do you pay more for car insurance than health insurance?  Do folks ask if you qualify for the senior citizen discount?  If so you might be eligible to be part of empty nester and almost empty nester group.

The next event will be dinner.  It held on Friday, February 14^th at 6:30 in the home of Jim & Mindy Wren.  Their address is 1700 Royal Oaks Drive, Waco, Texas 76710.

Please RSVP (call or text) to Linda Taft if you plan to attend, 254 717 8191.

Meet The Leadership Team

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

Meet Kaley Eggers

Vocation (could be your job or something you love doing that you believe you were made for):   I'm a social worker- the site coordinator for Communities In Schools at Connally Elementary School. It's sort of complicated to explain, but essentially I get to provide a wide variety of services to help support the students and families at my school. It's pretty hectic, but I feel very honored to have the opportunity to be a dependable, encouraging and loving presence in the lives of these kids.

Favorite Movie: This is a really tough question. I've been really into documentaries lately (A Place at the Table and Miss Representation are excellent and available on Netflix if you're interested), but I think if I had to pick one all-time favorite it would be Baby Mama. I probably quote this film at least once a day. Seriously. You just can't beat the combination of Amy Poehler and Tina Fey.

Best Restaurant in Waco: Once again- really tough question. I love D's Mediterranean Grill, but I think Homestead Heritage would probably win as my favorite. (Or Homestead Cafe? I'm not sure what the actual restaurant is called?)

Bible verse/chapter/book that is meaningful for you: Two come quickly to mind. OT: Isaiah 61:1-3 and Mark 5:35-42. I feel very strongly connected to passionate calling described in the Isaiah verses. If someone were to ask me why I became a social worker, the simplest way for me to respond would be to quote this section of Scripture. That passage in Mark is the story of Jesus healing Jairus' daughter. To me, these verses communicate so much about who Christ is and the immense hope we have in him.

Best Television Show: Parks and Recreation.

Favorite Holiday:  Toss up between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Something we might not know about you: In high school I went through a really serious Lord of the Rings phase. Fact: I dressed up as an elf when I went to see The Two Towers in theaters. Follow-up fact: It was not the midnight showing. It was probably 2 weeks after the premiere. Obviously my coolness peaked in high school.

Hobby:  Ukulele-playing. Crafting. Baking. Hanging with my dog, RG IV.

 

Work Is Worship

 1-19-13

Coffee: Emily Driscoll and Michael Scott

Coffee Clean Up: Kara Edmondson, Jacob Robinson and Byron Roldon

Greeters: Dan Padgett and Jeff Latham

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17
• Love-Love Feast: February 16^th at 6:00 P.M.
• The Culture Sunday School class has posted an article on our website.  Even if you don’t go to that class, Toph is encouraging folks to read the article and give feedback.  Read it here.   Comment on the Facebook thread on the UBC Facebook page.

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

254 366 9779

Geting to Know You(BC): Ashley and Brandon Stroud...

 

Name: Ashley Stroud Age: 29

Where do you call home? I guess Waco now since we are raising our family here. But I grew up in Roswell, NM.

What do you do in Waco? I just started this past fall as an elementary art teacher for Woodway Elementary. In other words I get to play arts and crafts all day and get paid!

 What do you love most about UBC? I love Sunday morning worship. We have visited many churches in the area and none compare. Love the music. Love the sermons. Love the diversity of people worshipping together.

Favorite Movie? This is hard. I'm a movie addict. Favorite manly movie is braveheart. Favorite animated movie is croods. Favorite chick flick is new in town. And about a million others.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? A lot of things. Veterinarian, teacher, archeologist.  My mom likes to make fun of the fact that I use to play accountant. I invented a lot of stuff too. I'm actually the real inventor of the laptop and the rewinding tv (dvr).

What do you want to be now when you grow up? I really just want to be a stay at home mom. I love to cook and craft and play with my precious baby all day long.

Favorite artist/band/musician? Michael buble. People just don't sing like that anymore. My parents always played good oldies like that when I was growing up!!

Best Burger in Waco? Hmmm....I really enjoy fuddruckers. I like building my own burger with goodies I like. But the new smash burger in town is pretty awesome.

What do we HAVE to know about you to really know you? I'm actually an introvert. I feel really awkward around people I'm not close friends with. And I have a really hard time making friends. I could probably count on one hand the number of true friends that I really felt close to. My mother is exactly the same and bc of that we have always been best friends. Family is really important to me.

Tell us about your family.  

I assume you mean Brandon and Chloe. What exactly do you want to know? Brandon and I have been married 4 years this April. Chloe turns 2 at the end of January. Chloe is a big goober. She has so much personality. I love it! Do you want more info about Brandon?

Sure!

Brandon (in his own words)

Age: 33

Where do you call home? Waco, TX

What do you do in Waco? Configuration Analyst @ Ferguson Enterprises Inc. Distribution Center and CrossFit Coach @ CrossFit Waco

What do you love most about UBC? The variety of ideas and people that I would not normally be exposed to in my everyday life.

 Favorite Movie?  The Goonies

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?  Major League Baseball Player.

What do you want to be now when you grow up?  Happy

Favorite artist/band/musician?  Glenn Kaiser "The Ressurrection Band"

Best Burger in Waco?  Fudruckers Buffalo Burger.

What do we HAVE to know about you to really know you?  I am a quiet person if I don’t speak to you it’s not because I think I am too cool.  It is because I am shy and it takes a lot of time with someone for me to open up.

Spring 2014 Sunday School...

We still do good old-fashioned "Sunday School" here at UBC.  Christian Education, a term that is becoming, unfortunately, antiquated, is an important aspect of formation, and we are excited to have so many gifted teachers in our congregation to offer their expertise.  Below is a list of the Spring classes we have.  We hope you can join us at 9:30 a.m. in the morning!

The Gospel of John-- Exploring the fourth gospel.  Led by Lindsey Trozzo in the "Red Room."

Psalms of Ascent-- Looking at the book of Psalms within the book of Psalms.  Led by Craig Nash in the "Brown Room."

Christians and the Headlines-- Analyzing Christian responses to the news of the day.  Led by Toph Whisnant and Maggie Griffin in the "Rock and Roll Room."

Hitched-- A group for the Married-Without Children crowd.  Led by the Hollymans (and others) in the Backside.

ITLOTC 1-17-14

Women in Ministry

I’m not sure if you have slowed down to notice, but UBC has no full time pastors that are women.  Emily is a part time children’s pastor, which is not an atypical position for a woman to hold in church life, and Michelle is our office manager.  With this information one might glean that UBC has a pretty standard view of woman in ministry for the Baptist south.

I think I sometimes feel defensive about this issue.  When it comes up I’m quick to point out that when we hired two community pastors in 2010 two of the final six (out of about 50 applicants) were women.  When we hired Emily, I intentionally advocated for her title to be changed from “minister” to “pastor” because I believe she is.  I want people to know that despite our lack of a full-time female pastor on staff we are very much for women in ministry.

A few months ago I submitted an article to the Christian Century.  The magazine called for submissions on the topic of mentoring.  My story was about Michelle, a hall director at Bethel College in St. Paul, MN.  In the article I shared about how I went to college with a complementarian view of women in the household and church.  Looking back I don’t think those position came from deep thoughtfulness, but rather merged out of few opinions I’d heard and no real study on the issue.

My flimsy perspective on this issue was called into question my junior year by Michelle.  Michelle is not a bra burning feminist nor did she ever bring up the issue of women in ministry.  She just led.  And she led me effectively.  Her witness smacked my suppositions in the face.  And let me be more specific because a few complementarians are already objecting that they do believe women can lead.  OK you’re right, but I wasn’t just led by Michelle, Michelle grew me as a disciple, and so that there’s really no question … exercised a spiritual authority (and not the sort of authority that needs to let you know it is authority, but rather Jesus picking up a towel sort of authority) over me that resulted in my being closer to Jesus.  I submitted to her spiritual leadership and was a better Christ follower as a result of it.

When my year as a resident assistant under Michelle was over, I realized that I had changed on this issue.  I decided that women belong in ministry.

You might have also gleaned from UBC that we allow space for diversity on issues.  If isn’t explicit in the way we talk about an issue, then it’s explicit in the way we don’t talk about that issue.  Part of that is simply diplomatic and a reflection of the ethos of the church, but part of that is that I just don’t think people’s opinions change via Facebook posts or through arguments.  I think change, real change, happens most often over the course of year when you spend time learning to love someone different than you.  Change happens in relationship when people take the time to love us through change.

That being said I should note that UBC does take a stand on one issue explicitly, namely, women in ministry.  February is Martha Stearns Marshall women in ministry month.  To join thousands of other Baptists in celebrating women who are or should be in ministry we will feature two female preachers.  If you agree with UBC on this issue I hope you’ll come and be blessed.  If you find yourself opposed to UBC on this issue, I hope you’ll come and be blessed.

A message from Tye:

I would like to say thanks to everyone for the generous amount of support that has been flowing in lately. It has been great having everyone back in town and singing loudly on Sundays. (And how about the Tri Delt choir last week!)

The Gladsome Light has been hard at work recording many of the songs that we sing here at Ubc on Sundays and it has been a very rewarding process. We hope that when the recording is finished it will be a meaningful contribution to you and your faith. Also, this season is a popular time for youth groups to have weekend retreats focusing on spiritual growth (aka D Nows). We have been fortunate to be invited to participate in several of these retreats this season, including one at my home church in Amarillo and FBC Tyler, the home church of our former pastor Kyle Lake. These weekends are a great way to connect with the larger body of Christ and continue to build on lasting relationships. If you would like to know more about the band and how we are working to embrace beauty and live missionally, you can follow us on Facebook, twitter and instagram.

This Sunday my good friend T.J. Ono will be leading us in worship. He has a solid heart and a desire to use music for the church. Be sure and thank T.J for stepping up and leading our community.

As always, if you have any comments or song suggestions, they are always welcomed. Feel free to call or email anytime. tye@ubcwaco

Peace,

Tye  

Meet The Leadership Team

I would like to ask the church to be in prayer for our next leadership team meeting, which is January 22^nd.  If you have anything you would like the leadership team to consider please feel free to contact me (josh@ubcwaco.org) or any 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

Meet Byron Roldán

 

Vocation (could be your job or something you love doing that you believe you were made for): Intern for Baylor Intramural Sports

Favorite Movie: The Natural, For Love of the Game, Field of Dreams, Moneyball

Best Restaurant in Waco: Captain Billy Whizzbangs

Bible verse/chapter/book that is meaningful for you:

Verse: Isaiah 42:16

Chapter: 1 Corinthians 12

Book: James

Best Television Show: Breaking Bad, House, Sherlock, House of Cards

Favorite Holiday: Memorial Day

Something we might not know about you: I’ve worn a hat every day for over 5 years

Hobby: Hat collecting, baseball, drums

Beauty:

At UBC we have so many talented folks living out mission in the life of the larger Waco community.

This week I’d like to feature the talents of Arna Hemenway.  Arna just may be the most professional artist among us.  He graduated from the Iowa Writers Workshop, which if you know anything about that you know it's like the NBA of basketball.  He was hired to pioneer the creative writing program at Baylor.  I've read his forthcoming novella Elegy On Kinderklavier and can tell you this guy has a literary A game.

You can check out some of this stuff here or just google him because he's that big of a deal.

Work Is Worship

1-19-13

Coffee: Jon Harrison

Coffee Clean Up: Haines Family

Greeters: Emily Driscoll

Giving Statements

Giving statements for the 2013 tax year will be available Sunday.  They will be located on the table on right of the foyer after church.  Look for Michelle.

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon Text: John 1:35-42
• Love-Love Feast: February 16^th at 6:00 P.M.
• Sunday School Classes will meet for the first time this Sunday, you should check one out!
• The "Christians In The Headlines" Sunday School class has posted an article on our website.  Even if you don’t go to that class, Toph is encouraging folks to read the article and give feedback.  Read it here.   Comment on the Facebook thread on the UBC Facebook page.

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

254 366 9779

Getting to Know You(bc): Chad Conine...

We are reviving our "Getting to Know You(bc)" series by featuring people in our congregation and letting you get to know them just a little bit.  If you would like to participate in this, or if you know someone you'd like to know more about, email craig@ubcwaco.org.) __________

Name? Chad Conine

Age: 36

Where do you call home? Waco.

What do you do in Waco? Run WacoFork and write for several sports media outlets.

What's the best press box you've ever worked in? 

The Alamodome because it's open air and at the top of the lower bowl, so the view of the field and the atmosphere of being in the crowd is the best. and it has all the other bells and whistles like comfortable chairs and plenty of space and all that.

What do you love most about UBC? That seems like a loaded question.

It is.  What do you love the least about UBC?

Ok, I was really just trying to avoid a long, complicated, borderline cliche answer to the "what do yo love the most about UBC" question. To be concise, I feel really comfortable at UBC because of its transitional nature. People come in and come go out and it's there for a specific time of life. It just so happens that I've been in that time of life for about 15 years. I was a member at (another church in town,) but came to the realization that it is way too focused on helping young families raise young children for me to really have a place there. I most like that UBC is accommodating to people outside the standard blueprint for life.

I couldn't answer what I love the least about UBC without first saying why I'm there in the first place. That stated, I would really have to nit pick to define what I love the least. I don't have any better answer than to say I preferred the Sunday night service after Thanksgiving when it was very much like the usual Sunday morning, just at a different time of day.

Favorite Movie? The Outlaw Josey Wales.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? A sportswriter.

What do you want to be now when you grow up? A sportswriter or possibly the road manager for a rock n' roll band or a spy.

Favorite artist/band/musician? The Drive-By Truckers.

 Best Burger in Waco? Cafe Homestead South of the Border or Quesadilla burger, pretty much any of their burgers. Honorable mention: Sironia California Burger.

What do we HAVE to know about you to really know you? That my grandfather Milton Conine was an ornery SOB with a heart of gold and one of my favorite people to hang out with and I think my personality kind of mirrors his and I'm totally fine with that.

ITLOTC 1-10-14

Belonging 

I recently rewatched the final episode of The Office.  There are many great moments in that last episode, but one of my favorites is a reflection from Andy Bernard.  Andy, after a failed attempt at a musical career, gets a job at his alma mater Cornell.   This after spending a lengthy part of his working career at Dunder Mifflin Paper Co. longing for the days when he was singing with his a cappella group at Cornell.  His reflection is worth thinking about.

Watch it here.

Andy reminds me how difficult it is for us to see ourselves in the present.  Hindsight is 20/20.  The future is full of vision.  And we are blind to the present.  In light of this I’ve been asking myself questions about the present state of the church.  Where are we?

In my first year of at UBC, back in 2004, I consumed the “couch conversation.”  It was a service UBC used to do early in the fall to tell it’s story.  At the couch conversation I heard Ben (a former community pastor) tell about when he first arrived at UBC fresh from Amarillo.  Ben approached then community pastor Byron Weathersbee and asked him how he could transfer his membership to UBC.  Byron laughed.  Laughing not so much to make fun of Ben, but rather at the supposition of Ben’s question.  The thought that UBC was organized enough to have membership seemed hilarious.

That story was always helpful to hear because it revealed something about the ethos of UBC.  UBC was started by two college kids who saw a need and sought to fill it.  And they did.  David Crowder and Chris Seay went to a bunch of fraternities and sororities and handed out flyers.  A few weeks later a college church was born.  It started as a movement that was raw, untamed and unafraid, with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

In its first few years UBC didn’t have nor did it worry about budgets, finances, buildings, maintenance, staff dynamics and many other grown up issues including membership.  They were having too much fun to worry about that stuff and it’s worth mentioning, being quite successful while not worrying about that stuff.

A year or so ago I was having lunch with my friend Burt reflecting on where the church was at.  I pointed out that we’d gone through many changes.  We’d added a finance team, an HR team, hired a part time children’s pastor, hammered out new bylaws and added Sunday school classes that accommodated our growing diversity.  Since that conversation we now have a volunteer youth leader.

Burt gave me language to understand what was/is happening at UBC.  He said, “every movement eventually becomes an institution, and then a new movement is born to takes its place.”  Institution.  That’s what is happening to UBC right now.

This fall the staff had a conversation about the possibility of membership.  We took that idea to the leadership team and they approved Craig forming an exploratory committee to talk about what that might mean at UBC.

I realize that even that word “membership” has connotations that are not always positive.  That will be one of the many questions considered by the committee as they navigate these thoughts.  Still we believe it might be time to ask and possibly define what it means to belong to this once-movement-now-becoming-institution.  We think it’s important work.  Please be praying for Craig and our membership committee as they do this work.

Thank You 

On Sunday December 22^nd the HR team, on behalf of the larger community, presented each member of the staff with a gift to express your gratitude for the work we do.  We’d like to express ours in return.  Working at UBC is such a joy and privilege.  It felt really great to be thought of by all of you.  Thank you for helping make this such a wonderful place.  We are blessed to be able to serve along side all of you in this ministry.

Meet Our Newest UBCer

Name: Chaim Kosal Loeung

Birthday:12-27-13

Height: 20 inches

Weight: 7lbs 1oz

Enneagram Number: 5

Need Among Us 

Speaking of new UBCers there have been a slew of them lately and a good deal more coming.  If you can help by bringing one of our families a meal or a gift card please sing up.

Ryan & Kristen Richardson: http://mealbaby.com/viewregistry/16966575

Britt & Holly Duke: http://mealbaby.com/viewregistry/16893900

Rath & Sharyl Loeung: http://mealbaby.com/viewregistry/16953550

Meet The Leadership Team

I would like to ask the church to be in prayer for our next leadership team meeting which is coming up at the end of January.  If you have anything you would like the leadership team to consider please feel free to contact me (josh@ubcwaco.org) or any 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

Kristin Dodson

Vocation (could be your job or something you love doing that you believe you were made for):   Veterinarian- I love caring for animals and the people that love them.

Favorite Movie: Bend it like Beckham

Best Restaurant in Waco: Homestead Heritage

Bible verse/chapter/book that is meaningful for you: Hebrews 11.1   - faith believing in something you cannot see

Best Television Show:  The Cosby Show

Favorite Holiday:  Christmas

Something we might not know about you:  Maiden name is  Schwebke

Hobby:  Riding horses- I grew up riding horses and showing in evening. Now I ride dressage.

Work Is Worship

A few weeks ago I announced that there are many ways folks could sign up to serve the church for the January-March quarter.  That sign up is located outside of my office.  As of now no one is signed up to make coffee this Sunday morning.  If that is something you could do, please email josh@ubcwaco.org.

When does Church Start? 

Earlier in the fall semester our staff had a discussion about starting church on time.  10:30 is our official times, but we usually started at 10:35, which turned into 10:40, until that got all the way to quarter to 11.  We decided that we are committed to starting at 10:30.  I have to admit there were a few times when I thought no one was coming to church, but eventually it filled in.  I thought about sharing our decision in the newsletter last semester, but was hesitant because I didn’t think we’d actually do it, but we have.  So if you’d like to get to church when it starts, we are starting at 10:30.

Giving Statements

Giving statements for the 2013 tax year will be available starting this Sunday.  They will be located on the table on right of the foyer after church.  Look for Michelle.

Children’s Ministry Spring Update (from Emily)

The UBCKids' Service will be March 2nd!  Our theme is the Fruit of the Spirit!  there will be more news and music coming soon!

Sunday School:

1 year-Kindergarten:

Younger Kids will be enjoying their time of fellowship and fun!  As we approach the date for the UBCKids Service, we will also be using this time to sing songs and practice for the big day!

Chronicles of Narnia Book Study:

We will be skipping A Horse and His Boy and moving on to Prince Caspian, followed by The Voyage of The Dawn Treader this semester!

Children's Church:

Our classes will continue as normal until February 2nd when we will begin our look at the Fruit of the Spirit in preparation for the UBCKids Service!

Beauty

At UBC we have so many talented folks living out mission in the life of the larger Waco community.

This week I’d like to highlight a photographer.  Wes Kitten is a husband, future father of two and native San Antonio Spur.  Wes has a plethora of photographic interest and abilities and has been used by both Baylor and the cities of Waco and San Francisco to do some killer time-lapse work.  Check out his stuff here.

He also has artistic taste buds.  Check out his instagram work @THEBEERHAUL

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

254 366 9779

Spring 2014 @ UBC...

This coming Sunday, January 12th, during the Sunday School time at 9:30a.m., we will have an all-church gathering in the backside to introduce everyone to all the ways you can get involved in the life of UBC this Spring, from Home Groups to Sunday School, and everything in between!  We will provide donuts (the good kind,) and coffee. Spread the word!  If you are new to UBC and looking to get connected, this is a perfect opportunity.  (It's also a perfect opportunity if you are old to UBC.)

ITLOTC 12-27-13

"This is it."

Who is my family?

Mark 3:31-35 “31 And his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you." 33 And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" 34 And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother."”

Luke 12:53 “They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

I've often wondered why Focus on the Family doesn’t paste these verses across their home page.  That’s rhetorical.  Of course they don’t paste these verses on their home page.  Perhaps the real question is “WTH [heck] Jesus?” 

I remembered when I first discovered these verses as a kid.  I was mad at Jesus.  I had/have a great mom and dad who love me, taught me the gospel and raised me in the way the Christ.  Surely Jesus would have no qualms about our relationship and certainly wouldn’t try and pit us against each other.  We were all wearing the same jerseys and they belonged to team Jesus.

As I have pastored I’ve seen these verses come to life; I’ve grown to see their value.  I think there are two ways to appreciate these verses.  The first is tragic, but nonetheless good news.  For the daughter who abused or the son who is disowned or the parent who is rejected the good news is that the characters who played parts in your sad story do make up the whole of your family.  You belong to the church and for all of those of you who have needed to, the church stands ready to listen and receive you as you confess “here are my mother and my brothers!” 

I’ve thought about and prayed for you.   It is very often this time of year when folks go back to where they came from and discover that there has been a slight shift in their worldview and that doesn’t sit well with mom or dad.  Or, so and so, seems to have changed a little and now I feel a disconnect.  I think it’s important to point out that, those disconnects happen and that it’s ok if you feel like they are an occasion for sadness.  Difference often feels a little bit like pain because it usually involves a small death of expectations.  When we go to these places where we have come from we suddenly find that we are not sure if we are from “here” any longer.  And where we came from strangely feels more like home.  It’s in those moments that we find worth in Jesus words. 

The Waters of Baptism

A few years ago I was talking with a friend who had recently discovered that his and his wife’s child-conceiving-options had been narrowed by circumstances out of their control.  As such, they began exploring other avenues.  One option was to get a sperm donor.  I asked my friend if that would bother him.  Would it bother him to have a child with his wife using someone else’s sperm?  In response he said, “No, because if it does then the gospel isn’t true in my life and I have believed what the world tells me, namely, that my biological relationships are the ones that really matter.  But that’s not what the gospel tells me.  It claims that water is thicker than blood.  That the waters of baptism speak more truly about who my family is then the blood that runs through my veins.”  I was humbled by the presupposition of my question and pastored by my friend in that moment. 

That phrase, “water is thicker than blood” has become dear to me.  Tye has employed this phrase in a song he has written about baptism.  It's a truth worth singing.  It names a reality that gives me great comfort as I live thousands of miles from my biological origins and into the reality of God’s great family which is shared in baptism. 

Top Ten Lists

As New Years approaches TV shows will begin airing that feature top ten lists from the year.  Top ten crazy moments of 2013.  Top ten songs of 2013.  Movies in a review, 2013 at the box office.  You get the idea.  In the spirit of closing out the secular calendar, I’d like to highlight my favorite UBC moment of 2013.

I told you there are two ways to understand the verses listed above.  Here is the second.  A few years ago I was interviewed for an article about pastoring and was asked, “have you ever had a moment when you felt like 'this is it.'”  Had I been asked that now I might have answered this way. 

Jeff and Teri Walter have three children whom they love dearly.  Those children love them dearly.  It’s a household filled healthy relationships.  They welcomed their first grandbaby this last year.  Life is good for the Walters.  Brennan Winn is a thriving first grader.  She loves God, has great parents and two sets of Grandparents who love her, even if from 2,000+ miles away.  Brennan had a problem.  Grandparents day rolled around at St. Louis Catholic School and Brennan’s grandparents were still 2,000+ miles away.  Point being I don't think Jesus would be interested in splitting up either of these households.  

I don’t remember when it was, but one day this fall I hopped on facebook and saw this picture.  When I did I thought of two things.  1. The kingdom is among us, and 2. Water is thicker than blood. This will always be one of the memories I treasure the most about UBC.

 

Beauty:

At UBC we have so many talented folks living out mission in the life of the larger Waco community.

This week I want to highlight one of our many awesome photographers. Molly Winn, mother of the above mentioned Brennan Winn, is a photographing champion.  Her photos have been featured on HGTV’s blog, and few other fancy places. 

She’s one of those people who had the artistic prowess to make photos look cool, like on instagram, 7 years before instagram was invented. 

Enough with my accolades, see it for yourself.

Newest UBCer:

Name: Mayer Reece Richardson

Birthday 12-23-13

Height: 18 inches

Weight: 6lbs 12oz.

Enneagram Number: 8

Announcements:

• Sunday School will begin again on January 12^th
• From our Children’s Pastor Emily: “For the next two weeks (the 22nd and 29th), we will have our oldest three classes (Bloom, Branch and Root) joining us in the service!”
• There are still spots available for the Spring Break Monastery Trip.  Contact Craig@ubcwaco if interested
• Please be in prayer for Dan Venzin.  Dan is our volunteer youth group leader and will be preaching for me on January 5^th. 

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

254 366 9779

ITLOTC 12-20-13

Worth It!  Good job team.

I love my job.  It’s the best.  I often think to myself, “Wow, I can’t believe I have this job at this church.”  God has been so gracious to me and my family.  Now for the dirty part.  Sometimes it’s hard.  So hard that I want to pull out my hair, quit, and move to a lake on Northern Wisconsin and open a rundown bait shop.  Very often in those moments when pastoring is hard, God sends me grace in the form of encouragement.

I got one such form of grace early this week.  My friend Carlie, who graduates this week, sent me a note.  It was one of those notes that reminded me exactly why we do what we do. But it isn’t a note for me, it is for all of us.  Enjoy UBC and thanks Carlie.

UBC,

this is a thank-you note of sorts. i have never been good at writing these, much to my mother's dismay. it usually takes about 4 months of her nagging before my thank-you notes from christmas finally make into the mail around….april. but this season of my life has been one marked by newness and change, accompanied by a deep sense of gratitude. gratitude for the people, places, and things in my world that have been the pillars of my faith and my sanity, the words that have been spoken to and over me that have become mantras of courage and freedom as i have continued to learn how to crawl, walk, run, and sometimes fall in my faith.

and now seems like the most appropriate time for me to offer my little piece of gratitude to a larger whole, and tell you what this church has meant to me. i just finished my time at baylor, a journey of 4.5 years that was literally chock full of the richest experiences. of course, the journey was not without pitfalls, failures, doubts. my quest for freedom, my own college soul-search led me in and out of the church, more than once.

church...i have loved it. i have hated it. i have resented it. i have been embarrassingly cynical toward it. i have been disillusioned with it. i have questioned it. i have listened as it has tried to teach me grace and humility, not to stamp my foot at God in child-like indignation. i have rationalized and justified almost every sunday i did or didn't walk through its doors. i have felt nothing and i have felt more than i knew what to do with. i have had just about every emotion that i could have imagined having toward this thing…church.

i came to UBC my freshman year thinking i already had it all figured out. but i couldn't, for the life of me, understand what things like, say, russian literature or movie clips had to do with God. i crossed it off my list, assuming church had to be a certain way, assuming interaction with the Divine took only one form. fast forward a few years- years full of figuring things out only to figure out how little i knew- i find myself back at UBC. now a writer, a lover of art, an avid reader. someone who has finally stopped making the poor distinction society seems to make between things that are secular and things that are sacred, someone who sees and feels and finally notices the goodness and the beauty of the One who loves me, eyes now trained to detect the traces of the holy that are woven throughout everything.

i have a patient God to thank for that, and i have a group of people at UBC to thank for it, too. people who have dared to suggest God as the source of every ounce of beauty, God as the source of everything that is good, God as the one who offers fullness of freedom and no condemnation. it is you all who have taught me that i am just as likely to meet God in a middle school lunchroom or on a soccer field as i am in a candlelit sanctuary with a band and a pastor and a liturgy.

you have helped lift the fog. you have told me to look for Him and you have taught me how. for that, i am eternally grateful. i am leaving waco now, much different than i came to it. thank you for helping me know Him. i really believe earth is just a little bit more like heaven on account of you guys.

sincerely,

carlie davis

Beauty:

At UBC we have so many talented folks living out mission in the life of the larger Waco community.

This week I want to highlight one of our many awesome photographers. Kristin Crawford is a mother, photographer, pretty-wicked-awesome athlete, and all around Pinterest Ninja.  She can sew, photograph, paint, design, and do all kinds of other things that make me feel comparatively uninspiring.   You can check out here work here.

The Crawford Family always does a really amazing Christmas card.  This was this year’s entry. If it doesn’t make any sense to you, then watch this.

Lost and Found:

We’ve had this key for a few weeks.  Please contact Michelle@ubcwaco.org if it is yours.

 

Announcements:

• This Sunday we will be celebrating the fourth Sunday of advent and then turning towards Christmas because we do not have Christmas day service.  There will be no traditional homily.
• This is the last week for the advent Sunday school class in the backside.  Sunday School will begin again on January 12^th
• From our Children’s Pastor Emily: “For the next two weeks (the 22nd and 29th), we will have our oldest three classes (Bloom, Branch and Root) joining us in the service!”
• There are still spots available for the Spring Break Monastery Trip.  Contact Craig@ubcwaco if interested

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

254 366 9779

ITLOTC 12-13-13

There is wisdom among us.

UBC has a reputation.  We, according to the Waco-public-opinion-poll, are the college church.  Anyone who goes to the church knows the demographic makeup tells a different story.  An interesting question I’m often asked is, “what percentage of the folks at UBC are Baylor students.”  We’ve never been able to answer that question with accuracy.   When I first came here I would have guessed something like 90%-10% or 85%-15%.  Now I would say something like 55%-45%.

There have been two factors that make this shift glaringly obvious.  One has been rapid increase in all things children’s ministry.  The other is that during the summer the sanctuary stays more full than it ever used to.  The fastest growing group of UBC in the last few years has definitely been the 25-45 age group and their kids if they have them.  But it wasn’t always this way.  About five years ago the Wilhites had the Carneys over for dinner and asked, “we like the church, do you think there is a place for us?”  My answer to that question always went something like, “I hope so, come hang out and if it doesn’t fit after a few months …  no hard feelings.”   Those conversations were almost always with young families.

Two folks at UBC who are very dear to me are Jeff and Teri Walter.  Jeff and Teri have weathered many seasons at UBC and always done so faithfully.  I’ve often thought to myself that there are probably a hundred other churches in Waco that could better serve their needs, but they with Don and Roni Bush, Scott and Nancy Gunvordahl and a few others have dared to be the “old people” at UBC through all these years.  I’m so grateful they have.  A few weeks ago a couple asked to meet with me.  Both about 50 years old, they visited UBC on a whim one day because they accidentally slept in too late and missed the service at another church they were visiting.  The question came up, “do you think there’s a place for here?”  I gave my answer.

Tonight Lindsay and I will be joining the first official gathering of the “Empty and Almost Empty Nesters” at 1424 for dinner.  There’s about 20 of them. I’m so excited!

If you are part of our community, fall within the 45ish on up demographic and would like to be part of this and/or future gatherings please email josh@ubcwaco.org or terijan@gmail.com (Teri Walter).

Work is Worship 

A few weeks ago I wrote on this topic.  UBC is the people's church.  Your opportunity to serve the church is now a little easier.  Outside my office door is a sign up chart.  Signing up is a quarterly commitment.  January-March, April-June, July-September, October-December.  These sign ups are for the January-March quarter.  Some jobs are weekly, some are bi-weekly, and some are monthly.  Please stop by and consider signing up.

Meet our Newest UBCer:

Name: Penny Lynn Duke

Birthday: November 30th @ 11:39

Height: 19 inches

Weight: 7 lb s 0 oz

Enneagram #: 9

You can read her story here.

Mission: A Note from Toph

Over the past few months, I have been in conversation with several missionaries, non-profit organizations, and mission sending agencies around the world to discern where UBC’s next international partnership might be.  Over the last few weeks, the Leadership Team and I have discerned that our next partnership will be in Asia.  In February of this year, Melissa and I will travel to India to explore two potential partnerships in hopes we will begin working with one of these partners in 2015.  If these partners do not seem like a good fit, we will explore possibilities in Malaysia and Indonesia later this Spring.  Please join along side of us in prayer as we enter the final stages of a long discerning process and look ahead to partnering with what God is doing in Asia.

Embrace Beauty,

Toph

Music:

As many of you know Ty led us in a Sing-O de Mayo last May.  That live album was released this summer.  Over the next month Ty and a few other UBCers, current and past, will be recording that same CD in a more professional environment.  Ty’s heart is that the music ministry is the church’s ministry.  As such he would appreciate your prayers these next couple of weeks as The Gladsome Light records music FUBU.  For us By us.

Beauty:

At UBC we have so many talented folks living out mission in the life of the larger Waco community.

This week I’d like to feature the talents of two of our musicians.  Hannah Read and Andrew Hulett are two of the dreamy members of the musical extravaganza Lomelda.  I’d describe their stuff as post-indie dream core.  But I don’t know anything about music so don’t read into that.  Better yet check it out and determine for yourself.

Just a Reminder:

Baylor Football won the Big 12.

Announcements:

• Our bible verses for Sundays sermon are Luke 1:46-55.
• Sunday School will begin again on January 12th
• If you are a parent and planning on being here December 22 and/or 29, please email Emily@ubcwaco.org and let her know so we can plan for childcare accordingly.
• We are having Sunday School in the Backside during Advent.  This will be an informal time to hang out and have conversation around the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.
• There are still spots available for the Spring Break Monastery Trip.  Contact Craig@ubcwaco.org if interested.

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

254 366 9779

ITLOTC 12-6-13

12-6-13

Growing:

When I began going to UBC in 2004 I heard Kyle preach a sermon in which he mentioned having twin boys. It was early in the school year so tracking down anyone, especially anyone you didn't know was difficult.  But after a month of going I spotted them. Sutton and Jude were about 2 years old. They sported their almost blinding blond hair, piercing blue eyes and talked with raspy voices that made wonder if they smoked.  Identity was not in question.  Sutton had on a shirt that read "I'm Sutton."  And Jude, the same. I would soon discover that Sutton and Jude made up 66% of UBC's kids program.  The other 33%, their sister Avery.

Slowly, a few veterans added children bringing the mass to a frightening six or seven.  The question became not who will watch the Lake kids, but who will work the nursery?  What curriculum will we use?  If I remember correctly Jana Parker was steering that ship at the time.  Eventually Jana handed the reigns to my wife, Lindsay, and Amanda Horton who managed our two different children rooms.  Later they both stepped down and Beth McCarty, Amanda Aguirre, and Emily Nance began carrying the growing responsibility.  Three children became six children, which became twenty.  UBCers were clearly not paying attention to global population issues.

Eventually we decided that this volunteer position needed to be a paid part-time position.  The finance team approved an 8-hour a week children's ministry coordinator.  That job went to Beth McCarty and the program kept growing.  More kids demanded that we convert another two rooms to accommodate our children, we began having an annual children's service, advent workshops, Easter egg hunts, and more birthday parties than weekends in a year. 8 hours a week went to 15 and then to 20.

A little over a year ago Beth resigned and Emily came on.  When we hired Emily we asked her not to be a children's ministry coordinator, but rather a children's pastor, a need created by all Beth's successful and hard work.

Now we have about 65 kids in the children's ministry and truth be told could really use Emily full time if the funds were there.

It has been a blast watching this ministry grow at UBC.

This past Sunday night Craig asked the rest of the staff to join Dan Venzin (our volunteer youth pastor) and the youth in a small party to decorate the church for advent.  I think I counted 9 youth.  As we were in the foyer hanging garland I looked around at this seed  about to sprout and I thought of Sutton and Jude.

UBCer In Need:

Kara is a senior.  She's also part of our mi casa.  One night our mi casa made it's way out to our back yard, which sometimes doubles as a pound for stray dogs.  On this particular evening a pair of puppies showed up to play with us.  In honor of our children we began to refer to them as Roy and Lilli.  That night Kara took Lilli (the puppy) home with her.  The rest has been a pet-owner-relationship-success-history.  Kara loves Lilli.  Lilli recently had an accident.  Some bone separated from some plate or something.  Kara choices are to put her dog down or pay $2,000 to have the surgery done.  She's baking to save her dog.  If interested in purchasing some bake goods click here.

Beauty:

At UBC we have so many talented folks living out mission in the life of the larger Waco community.

This week I want to highlight a knitter and a writer.

Carlee is a creator.  Should there ever be an apocalypse in which people had to make their own clothes, Carlee would be fine.  You can check out her stuff here.

Courtney is working on a Ph.D. in literature, loves interesting things and is just plain awesome.  That awesomeness finds its expression in words.  Read them here.

Land:

Hooray!  We closed on the land today.  Please join us after church this Sunday as we go across the street (Flynt) to dedicate the land and offer our thanks to God.

Announcements:

• The church will be open for study hall on December 10^th and 11^th from 10 A.M. until midnight. We will be serving pancakes on the 11^{th @} 10 P.M. for hungry studiers.
• This weeks Advent theme is Peace.  Our Bible verses for Sunday's sermon will be Romans 15:5-13.
• The Roots class (1^st-4^th graders) will be meeting in the red room (first room on the left in the hallway on the left side of the building) this week.
• If you are a parent and planning on being here December 22 and/or 29, please email Emily@ubcwaco.org and let her know so we can plan for childcare accordingly.
• We are having Sunday School in the Backside during Advent.  This will be an informal time to hang out and have conversation around the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love
• There are still spots available for the Spring Break Monastery Trip.  Contact Craig@ubcwaco if interested.

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

254 366 9779

ITLOTC 11-29-13

11-29-13

In Defense of Thanksgiving:

Now that your turkey has been eaten and you have either done your shopping or protested by posting on Facebook why you won't, I'd like to say a word about Thanksgiving.

Last week Craig talked about the Christian calendar as we usually do on Christ the King Sunday.  In it, he talked about the difference between our calendar and the world's calendar.  To make the juxtaposition more apparent Craig mentioned few holidays that are cultural that aren't celebrated by the church.  Examples might include the 4^th of July and Halloween.

Thanksgiving is afforded a spot in the lectionary and is even accompanied by a few bible verses.  Still it is not an explicitly Christian holiday the way Christmas and Easter are.  No one can fail Thanksgiving by "keeping Jesus name out" and there is no explicit war on Thanksgiving (real or imagined).

My title is "In Defense of Thanksgiving."  Perhaps Thanksgiving needs little defending, but I wanted say a few words about what's right with the holiday.

In seminary I signed up for a class called "Reconciliation."  I wasn't particularly interested in the topic; in fact I remember selecting the class mostly for the ease with which it fit into my schedule.  As the semester went on, however, my eyes were opened to how pervasive the theme is, especially in Paul.  Paul is always doing theology, but he's always doing it in service to the church. Very often the issue he's addressing in his letters is the Jew/Gentile divide.  For example, Ephesians 2:14-16 says:

"14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility."

I've always been suspicious of people who seem to know exactly what happened on the cross.  Yes, Jesus died for our sins, but if we take seriously all the metaphors of scriptures you begin see that what was happening is allusive or difficult to understand.  Paul offers all kinds of the images, legal, economic, military, etc.  Yet none of these can exhaustively answer the question "how did atonement happen?"  This is why CS Lewis is helpful when Aslan simply reveals that it was a "deeper magic."

With that groundwork laid, I'd like to suggest that one of those allusive themes of the cross is reconciliation.  Reconciliation between God and us, us and ourselves, us and the earth, and with each other (Scott McKnight, A Community Called Atonement).  I think Thanksgiving is a bright spot in our otherwise checkered racial history in which American settlers got it exactly right.  And by right I should point out I mean that they took help instead of slaughtering people.   I like to think of the thanksgiving as a moment when the cross was embodied and the vision of the kingdom lived out.  Two racially different and foreign groups sitting down together to share food and company.  May the spirit of reconciliation invade our lives this advent season.

Land Update:

A few weeks ago I mentioned that we would be closing on the land across the street on December 2^nd.  There has been a small hiccup, but the good news is that we will be closing on the 3^rd at 1:00 PM.  Please pray for this process and that God would continue to birth a vision in us about what He might have us do with it.

This Sunday December 1^st:

I've put this in the announcements the last few weeks, but I'd like to reiterate it explicitly here.  We will have two services this Sunday.  Our normal Sunday morning service will start at 10:30.  Sunday evening, instead of our traditional evening service, we will have a Christmas sing, which starts at 7:00 P.M.  Come sing festive dittys with us.

Beauty:

At UBC we have so many talented folks living out mission in the life of the larger Waco community.

This week I want to highlight a cake maker and a writer.

Have you ever seen the mural in the game room in the backside of the church?  That mural was painted by the very talented Meredith Richey.  Meredith currently has an exhibit on display at the Croft Art Gallery on Austin Ave.  It will be taken down on Sunday, so use your turkey weekend to go check it out!  You can check out her other work here.

One of my favorite artists at UBC is our children's pastor Emily.  Though she doesn't advertise it, she can make wicked awesome cakes.  She doesn't have a website, so I've included some of them here.  Yes these really are cakes!

Announcements:

• The annual Advent Workshop for our children will take place on December 1 @ 1:00 P.M.  If would you like information about that email josh@ubcwaco.
• On Sunday, December 1st, we will have multiple worship opportunities.  Our regular service and the Sunday First Sunday of Advent will begin at 10:30 AM as usual.  That evening we will have our 1st ever Christmas Sing service at 7:00 PM.
• If you are a parent and planning on being here December 22 and/or 29, please email Emily@ubcwaco.org and let her know so we can plan for childcare accordingly.
• We will have Sunday School in the Backside during Advent.  This will be an informal time to hang out and have conversation around the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love
• There are still spots available for the Spring Break Monastery Trip.  Contact Craig@ubcwaco if interested.

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

254 366 9779

ITLOTC 11-22-13

11-22-13

Work is Worship:

Have you ever been asked the question, what would you do with a million dollars?  Of course you have.  It’s an invitation to dream about how massive amounts of money could solve your problems. I sometimes pose this hypothetical to myself and answer it on behalf of the church. I dream about millions of dollars funding endowments that we could use to create all kinds of fulltime jobs without adding stress to the budget.  Youth pastors, sound engineers, studio artists, graphic designers, project managers, social workers … and one that I would really love … a custodian.

I would to love to get to the end of Love Feast and say, “it’s fine we can just leave and it will be taken care of.”  I would love to not worry about the church getting shut down after services on Sunday.  I would love to not worry about the coffee cups developing mold and spots on the bottom.  I would love to redirect the 48, “did you know there’s a problem with the _____________,” emails and phone calls I get each week.”  But I can’t.

Sometimes when I think harder about this scenario I realize that would not be right for UBC at this time.  This is a church that belongs to the people. Sometimes it’s been mi casas.  Sometimes it’s been small groups.  Sometimes it’s been a string of a few faithful volunteers, and sometimes it’s been the staff.  But one way or another this church has always been maintained by its people.  And for where we are in our history, size, and budget I think that’s right.  A custodian would steal something from us.  A sense of belonging and I daresay worship.

When we scrub toilets and vacuum carpets or mop floors and change light bulbs, we are creating a better worship experience for everyone else.  Our time and small sacrifice translates into someone else’s ability to “be” and to worship on Sunday morning.  As a result those moments during the week become part of the liturgy of Sunday morning. They become the necessary steps of care that make glorifying God’s name on Sundays more possible. I really would hate to take away that opportunity from us.

In a week or so I’m going to post a poster board on my door with this same message.  It will also include a spot for people to sign up for a specific job to care for the church.  Jobs will move with the quarterly calendar of the church.  The commitments, be they weekly, monthly or something else will last three months. I hope you’ll consider worshiping with us.

Ordination:

One of our former UBCers Travis Clark will be ordained on December 8^th at UBC.  If you knew Travis while he was here please consider coming.  The service will be in the early afternoon, time still to be determined.  If you did not know Travis I ask that you be in prayer for him as we move closer to this moment.

Love Feast:

A few of you may have noticed that at the last couple of Love Feasts we have had an abundance of desserts.  Almost like God has dropped Quail from heaven, we find ourselves drowning in desserts. Which would be amazing if we had plenty of other types of food.  Unfortunately, that has not been the case.  So in the spirit of authoritarian dictatorship, the staff has made a unilateral decision to curb the inflow of desserts.  All the deserts have been signed up for.  Please bring a thanksgiving side.

Beauty:

At UBC we have so many talented folks living out mission in the life of the larger Waco community.

This week I want to highlight a photographer and a writer.

Graham Dodd is one of our amazing Baylor freshman.  He snaps photos of things I don’t have an eye for.  Here is some of his work.

Many of you have commented over the years about how you have been blessed Craig’s thoughtful words.  He's a blogger and a good one at that.  Here's a post in which he comments on Dallas Buyers Club.

Announcements:

•       Our Annual Thanksgiving Love Feast will be November 24^th at 6:00 PM.

•     The annual Advent Workshop for our children will take place on December 1^st.  If would you like information about that email josh@ubcwaco.

•     On Sunday, December 1^st, we will have multiple worship opportunities.  Our regular service and the Sunday First Sunday of Advent will begin at 10:30 AM as usual.  That evening we will have our 1^st ever Christmas Sing service at 7:00 PM.

•     If you are a parent and planning on being here December 22 and/or 29, please email Emily@ubcwaco.org and let her know so we can plan for childcare accordingly.

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

254 366 9779

ITLOTC 11-15-13

11-15-13

Silence in our worship:

Worship is a term that Craig has been working hard to help us understand.  In the church I grew up in “worship” was an adjective that described a type of song we sang during the “praise and worship” portion of the service.  Worship songs, were the slow emotive songs that cultivated a sense of admiration for God’s person and work.  A better way to understand worship is any of the activities we do as a gathered community to celebrate God.

If you’ve been to church in the last few months, you’ve probably noticed that Craig has asked us to practice silence as a form of worship.

I’m an enneagram three.  That might not mean anything to you, but what it means to me is that when I’m asked to participate in silence, my emotive-driven-self can hardly stand it.  My legs get fidgety; I can’t help but focus on the 13 coughs I can hear people trying to stifle and the blank space in my head starts to fill with football highlights that I witnessed at Floyd Casey Stadium the day before.

And that’s exactly why I need to practice silence.  Christian worship has long used the best tools to aid in the emotive experience.  But worship is not just about ecstasy, it’s also about challenging and forming us.  That I find myself uncomfortable with silence indicates that I need to keep practicing it.

This fall I read Eugene Peterson’s memoir The Pastor.  In it Peterson describes a conversation with a young woman about their church service.  He asks her what the hardest part is.  This is her response:

“The silence.  You say ‘Let us pray,’ and you don’t say anything for maybe twenty or thirty seconds—but it seems forever.  I couldn’t hand the silence.  I’d get anxious and fidgety.  I almost quit coming I was so uncomfortable.  And then after a couple of months I calmed down.  Then I started liking it.  And now, when you finally start praying, I say inwardly, Oh, not yet pastor, I’m not ready yet.  I guess I thought that worship was something I had to do, or it was something you were doing.  It was in worship that I became quiet listening and present before God for the first time in my life.  And the silence was my way in. Those twenty-five seconds of silence were better than of your twenty-five minute sermons.”  (p. 287)

Mission:

Toph has finished conversations with the leadership team and gotten approval to begin exploring future mission relationships with two different locations in Asia.  Toph will be leading a team to the Dominican Republic for the last time this May.  I’m really proud of the great work that he and other UBCers have done there.

Land:

As was mentioned in our November Town Hall meeting, we are in the process of purchasing two lots across the street (Flynt).  Since the town hall, the contract has been signed by both parties and we are scheduled to close on December 2^nd.  If all goes well, we will be celebrating on small liturgy on the property after church on the 8^th.

Beauty:

At UBC we have so many talented folks living out mission in the life of the larger Waco community.  Can I brag about two guys whose I work I absolutely love?  Clint Harp and Britt Duke do all kinds of crafty things over at the Harp Design Co.  Here’s a photo of Britt in action posted on facebook this week.  Check out their stuff here.

Announcements:

• Love our musicians?  Read this.
• The last installment of our Healthy Marriage Series will take place this Sunday night November 17^th, at 6:00 PM.  Dr. Robert Creech will be speaking about family systems.
• The annual Advent Workshop for our children will take place on December 1^st.  If would you like information about that email josh@ubcwaco.
• We will also have our first ever Christmas Sing Along on December 1^st at 7:00 PM.
• The sermon text for Sunday is Luke 21:5-19.
• Our Annual Thanksgiving Love Feast will be November 24^th at 6:00 PM.