April 25, 2020

Ubc Waco

Ubc Liturgy Stuff 4-26-2020

April 25, 2020

Ubc Waco

Ubc Liturgy Stuff

April 26, 2020

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics (and chords, if you want to play along!) and scripture readings for the live stream on April 26th (in the order they are needed), as well as some resources for kids! (this includes some stuff that is print-able—if you need Taylor to print stuff for you in the future, just let us know, and we’ll get that set up).

Heart Won’t Stop

there is not a man or a beast
nothing on the land or underneath
nothing that could ever come between
the love you have for me
i could lay my head in Sheol
i could make my bed at
the bottom of the darkness deep
there is not a place I could escape You

Your heart wont’ stop coming after me

there is not an angel of the stars
there is not a devil in the dark
nothing that could change the way You are
the love you have for me
i could lay my head in Sheol
i could make my bed at
the bottom of the darkness deep
there is not a place i could escape You

Your heart won’t stop coming after me

i could lay my head in Sheol
i could make my bed at
the bottom of the darkness deep
there is not a place i could escape You

Your heart won’t stop coming after me

Eternal Anchor

Eternal Wisdom, Eternal Grace
is there a creature You have not named
and known in greater depth
than the cells of which it’s made
and bound up in a love not even death
could separate?

Eternal Anchor, Eternal Grace
wrapped in Light like Eternal Flame
would you incinerate the thorns
stabbing in my brain
and with a Word obliterate
the cycles I retrace?

would you raise a staff, split the sea
and graft my withered branch
into Your family tree
and come to my defense
if my brother called it cheap
as if my every breath someone else
had planned to breathe

Eternal Anchor, Eternal Love
is there a distance You would not run
with glory gathered up,
kicking up the dust,
to close the gap I made
to try my luck?

would you raise a glass, call a feast
and grace my withered hand with Your family ring
and as I search for words to try to explain
would they be drowned out with your redemption parade?
and as the forests clapped their hands
and mountains stomp their feet
would a thousand trumpets roar
as trampled voices sing?
and would I be caught up in that Embodied Melody;
of the all-creation, misfit family band of everything?

will all that was lost yet be found?
will al that was lost yet be found?
Name beyond all naming, Love beyond all framing,
will all that was lost yet be found?

There

before there were mountains to crumble
before there were seas to rise
before there was pain, the loss and the weight
You were there, You were there, You were there

and although our fear is rising
although our fire has gone out
although our hearts are worried and fraught
You are there, You are there, You are there

i’ve got a problem, i’ve made a drug
of worrying over what is yet to come
it’s clouding my vision, strangling my love
away

but after the sun stops burning
after the stars have gone out
after the world ceases to turn
You’ll be there, You’ll be there, You’ll be there

You’ll be there, You’ll be there, You’ll be there
You’ll be there, You’ll be there, and we’ll be there

Old Testament Reading

Today’s Old Testament reading is Psalm 116:1-3, 10-17:

I love the Eternal; for not only does the Eternal hear
    my voice, my pleas for mercy,
But the Eternal One leaned down when I was in trouble and brought the Eternal’s ear close to me.
    So as long as I have breath, I will call on the Eternal One.
Once I was wound in the wrappings of death;
    the terror of dying and the grave had a grip on me;
    I could not get away, for I was entombed in distress and sorrow.

I believed Your promise; therefore I spoke,
“I am in deep trouble.”
In my confusion I blurted out,
“All people are liars!”

How will I pay back the Eternal
    for all the Eternal’s graciousness toward me?
I will raise the cup of deliverance
    and call out the name of the Eternal.
I will fulfill the promises I made to The Eternal One
    here as a witness to all the Eternal One’s people.

Precious in the eyes of the Eternal
    are the deaths of those who follow after the Eternal One.
O Eternal One, You know I am Your servant.
    I am Your servant, a child of Your maidservant, devoted to You;
    You have cut me loose from the chains of death that bind me.
And I come, eager to offer a sacrifice of gratitude
    and call on the name of the Eternal.

This is the Word of the Lord.

(Thanks be to God)

New Testament Reading

Today’s New Testament reading, and Toph’s sermon text, is Luke 19:1-10:

He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”

This is the Word of the Lord.

(Thanks be to God)

Hope

You lit a fire in the darkness
the darkness did not overcome
while we were hopeless and wandering
You were the Breath in our lungs
You sang out hope into the dead of night
and it echoed off the edge of time
said “i’ll bend lower to find you
i’ve called you mine.”

You lit a fire in the darkness
the darkness did not overcome
though we keep losing our minds here
You know the depth of our thoughts
You sang out hope into the dead of night
and it echoed off the edge of time
said “child, I made you on purpose
I’ve called you mine"

and now every broken piece
will find its place again
and every twisted word you heard
in the night will be silent
the fever it will break
the shadow it will fade
’til all that’s left is light and love
in the Dawn that never fades
on and on

You lit a fire in the darkness
the darkness did not overcome
though our walls keep on closing
You are the field where we’d run
You sang out hope into the dead of night
and it echoed off the edge of time
said “this is not how it ends here
I’ve called you mine

and you can’t go back
no, you can’t go back
though everything keeps fading
this fading here will end
and the ever-brilliant Word whispered
in the night will be shouted
the fever it will break
the shadow it will fade
’til all that’s left is light and love
in the Dawn that never fades
on and on

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen

Benediction

As we approach this week

May we love God
Embrace Beauty
and Live Life to the fullest

Amen

Worship Resources for UBC Kids and Families

(And also anyone who might want them)

Hello friends! (This is Taylor) Here is a link to some fun coloring sheets and activity ideas for Eastertide Week 3. I’ll be talking about them during worship tomorrow! Also included is a kid’s worship bulletin - so if you print it off beforehand kiddos could do that while they watch our worship service! I’m excited to see what you do with these coloring sheets and activities - so please take a picture and tag @ubcwaco when you use them! Thanks everybody! Here is the link: https://illustratedmin.s3.amazonaws.com/weekly-resources/Easter-Week3.pdf.

p.s. - Remember! If you don’t have a printer just let me know and I can print them out for you!

New Giving App

ITLOTC 4-21-20

April 21, 2020

josh carney

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church)

Easter

On Doing Enough

Sometimes when I have a good idea for a newsletter article I store it in my head for later. I don’t write every week. I write 2 of the 4 weeks of a month and T-Bone Taylor Post and Jameson McGregor write the other two (for some reason Toph has just weaseled his way out of this responsibility his whole religious career). So in off weeks, when I have a good idea, I put that in the file cabinet for later. Well, here’s what happened. Last week Taylor wrote the newsletter and included this quote “I hope that in this season you are being kind to yourself and remembering that your worth is not defined by what you do or what you produce – but, rather, that you are inherently loved and worthy and created in the image of God and you can rest in that.” That’s the quote that other Taylor (social media Taylor) used to advertise the piece. Now here’s the problem: that was essentially my stored up idea for the newsletter.

I’m going to write my idea anyway.

We all know that personality tests are fake and can’t tell you anything helpful about your life. It’s another form of astrology. But let’s just say for a moment that one of these personality tests fooled me into thinking it was really effective. Like it anticipated all my motivations in complicated ways including how I behave in stress and growth. This fake personality test might suggest that I am motivated by accomplishing things. Let me give you an example of how this works. On Saturdays, I like to get work done around the house. I wake up with a mental checklist in my head and all day I slowly work through it checking it off. When evening arrives I sit down on my couch, watch an episode of Ozark with my cocktail and let the fact that I finished my to-do list wash over me. While some of you might experience the joy of the comfort of your couch, or the taste of the beverage or the entertainment value of the show, my joy comes from knowing that the work needed to be done, it is done, and that I did it. Conversely, if I wake up on Saturday and the weather is unpredictable, a tool I need breaks or I get distracted by something not on my list, I feel my day is an utter waste and I am unable to enjoy my evenings. I slip into a small form of depression. The thought of doing nothing, but laying around all day reading or watching TV feels like a form of hell to me. None of that enjoyment was earned. Instead, it feels like eating an entire bucket of ice cream. It felt good while you are eating it, but then you feel sick, perhaps even nauseous.

Back to the fake personality test which says that I love to get things done. Some, who have taken fake personality test too far, have labeled entire countries with fake personality test labels. As it turns out, America and I are the same. We are labeled as those who love to achieve. (interesting side note, Dallas is also labeled as an achieving city. I also think it could be the smarminess.)

*interlude where I break character and feel a moment of inspiration + distraction and call Taylor (pastor Taylor not social media Taylor) to make a list of enneagram TX cities. Kathleen also makes contributions from the peanut gallery (give credit where credit is due):

1 College Station (once you are there you have to follow the rules)

2 San Antonio (HEB Headquarters, nothing is more helpful)

3 Dallas

4 Marfa (can’t be explained even if wanted to, too unique)

5 Amarillo (isolated)

6 Fort Worth (I can’t tell you because it’s too controversial, DM if you want deets)

7 Austin (I wanted to make Austin a 4, but Taylor lobbied for 7)

8 Houston (really Houston could be all of them, but they are the biggest and toughest … did you see them bounce back from Harvey?)

9 El Paso (safest, nicest city in the world)

Anyway, back to fake personality tests and the American condition of achieving. Living in America has been pretty great for me. It rewards achievers. Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, “pull yourself up by your bootstraps,” Rudy … we love overcomers. It’s the American dream. I love overcomers! Anyhow, I was thinking about my wife. Fake personality test says she is the opposite of me. Her heaven is sitting on a couch all day in bad weather reading (also, so I don’t get in trouble, let’s add that she’s very productive … I’m merely describing her preference). Anyhow, my point is, that I sometimes wonder what it is like to live in a country where the ethos doesn’t match your personality. I would think it is hard. And now that we are in the midst of COVID shutdown I can see that it’s actually bad.

Here’s my main point. I can see everyone trying their damndest to be productive. Everyone is trying to put out digital content. Everyone is trying to offer something meaningful. Take the religion business for example. If I wanted to fill up my day with video devotionals and church videos I could … because everyone is making them. If I wanted to find committees to be on to fill up my day with zoom calls, I could because everyone is trying to be connected and do important things. I think one of the biggest crises in America right now and in the months to come is that we won’t know how to be, just be.

One year, when I was in the middle of my resident assistant training at my small christian university (which is like church camp for college kids with a few more rules and responsibilities), one of my friends had a good word. If you don’t know what a good word is, then you need to go spend some time in full gospel community churches for a while. Anyhow, the good word was that “we are human beings not human doings.” I hate how cliche that is, and maybe it’s because fake personality test says I'm an achiever, but I’ve always struggled with that. I don’t know how to just be and these moments are exacerbating that fact.

So I wanted to say to everyone either one of two things: if you live in American and don’t thrive on doing work … I'm sorry, that is sucky hard. If you do thrive and work and find that you can’t be you right now, I’m sorry to you too. To both of you though, I want to encourage you to not fall prey to doing things just to do them and feel busy. Take this time to slow down and ask yourself what you actually want to do that will give you life.

Offering for Cuba

The partner organization we work with in Cuba, FIBAC (Fraternity of Baptist Churches in Cuba), is collecting money to help during the pandemic. There is currently a shortage of food and hygiene supplies. We will be collecting money over the next two weeks to send to our partners in Cuba, so that may help their people during this time. If you would like to donate, just make a check out to UBC, and put Cuba in the memo line. If you have any questions, you may contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Family Resource Pantry

We are still collecting items for the family resource pantry. Last week, which was the first week it was open, we were able to serve 46 families in Waco ISD. We have brought on new partner churches this week, and we are beginning to expand the reach of the pantry to other ISD’s surrounding Waco. Below you will find a list of the items that we need the most. If you would like to help sort items, prepare items for delivery, or deliver items, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org Thank you to everyone who has given so far, I think this is going to be a valuable resource for families in the Waco area. Here are what we need this week: food staples (rice, beans, pasta, pb&j, bread, cooking oil, cereal, etc…; hygiene supplies; and cleaning supplies. You may have items shipped directly to UBC, or Toph will be happy to come pick them up from your house.

Lead Team Nominations

Due to the unforeseen circumstances that COVID has created and the way this may have disrupted candidates lives, we have decided to wait another month before selecting someone to fill Byron Griffin’s role on the leadership team. To that end we are also opening up the nomination process in this time due to the lack of communication about this process because we have not been meeting.

If you would like to nominate someone for the leadership team, please do so by using this link to fill out the form.

(A) Purpose. The Leadership Team shall be the primary decision-making body of UBC. The Leadership Team will oversee all the business and property of the church, as well as make the final decisions regarding hiring and dismissal of staff and the acquisition and selling of assets that are beyond budgetary provisions.

(C) Qualifications. Each member of Leadership Team shall have been a member of UBC for at least one year, exhibited an understanding and commitment to the mission and values of the church, and be willing to fulfill all responsibilities in the Leadership Team job description.

(E) Term. Members of Leadership Team may serve for a duration lasting up to three years. While they are encouraged to remain the full three years, members may voluntarily remove themselves from their position at any time

Parishioner(s) of the Week

Meg Peck was named Garland School of Social Work student of the year. Great job Meg!

Work is Worship

Greeters: No Greeters this week

Coffee Makers: no coffee makers this week

Mug Cleaners: no mug cleaners this week

Money Counter: no money counters this week

Leadership Team

If you have a concern or an idea for UBC that you’d like to share with someone that is not on staff, feel free to contact one of our leadership team members.

Chair: Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Jeremy Nance: Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com

Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@gmail.com

Kathy Krey: kathykrey@gmail.com

Jose Zuniga: jzgrphix2002@yahoo.com

Taylor Torregrossa: Taylordtorregrossa@gmail.com

Student Position: Davis Misloski

Student Position: Maddy O’Shaughnessy

UBC Finance Team

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

JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu

Catherine Ballas: catherine@refitrev.com

Jen Carron: jen.carron78@gmail.com

Mike Dodson: financeteammike@gmail.com

George Thornton: GeorgecCT1982@gmail.com

UBC HR Team

If you have concerns about staff and would like contact our human resources team, please feel free to email any of the following members.

Erin Albin: erin.albin1@gmail.com

Sam Goff: samuelgoff92@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Craig Nash: Craig_Nash@baylor.edu

April 19, 2020

josh carney

Twin (A Poem)

April 19, 2020

josh carney

“Twin” A Poem for UBC

4-19-20

A long time ago in a place called Nazareth

A rabbi emerged with a new teaching on Sabbath

His name is Jesus, He is the son of God

If you find that impressive prepare to be awed

His mom was named Mary; she was a virgin

How did this happen? A metaphysical surgeon

Like Rabbis are oft prone to do

This teacher went looking for a crew

He settled on twelve, one for each tribe

Every individual unique with his own vibe

They were

Peter the rock, who Jesus gave the keys

He’s often considered the greatest of these

Andrew his brother who was called first

Finished behind Peter, which is just the worst

James of Zebedee a son of thunder

The first to die, makes you wonder

His brother John, known as an apostle

He wrote Revelation and the 4th gospel

Alpheus had two sons, one was James

Sawed in pieces, he didn’t play games

The other was Thaddues also called Jude

That’s about all we know of that dude

Levi known as Matthew was a collector of tax

But we’ll forgive him because we’ve all got cracks

The eunuch was converted because of Phil

Baptized on the spot, what a thrill

There was Bartholemoew also known as Nathaniel

The only thing that rhymes with that is cocker spaniel

Don’t forget about Simon the zealot

There was trouble with Rome and he could smell it

Then there’s Judas whose known to betray

“God have mercy on his soul,” I pray

That leaves one to discuss this Easter week two

His name is Thomas, and he leaves us something to chew

There’s a lot in this story, I don’t know about

But let’s start with the obvious; he’s famous for doubt

The doors are locked and the windows are sealed

when Jesus appears like Dave Copperfield

The disciples were locked up for fear of the Jews

But Jesus says, “Peace, I have good news

Dead for three days, I was down and out

But suck it Satan, you’ve lost this bout

Just to be sure check out my scars

Those nails and thorns left some good mars”

The disciples looked and what did they see

It was in fact Jesus, “Rejoice and Yippee!”

Then Jesus breathed his God breath of life

And the Holy Spirit pierced them like a knife

Jesus said forgive sins and they are gone

Or you can hang onto them, but that’s just wrong

break

An important part of this story you must know

Is that Thomas wasn’t there for this part of the show

Where was this doubter, out looking for a fix?

He’s probably an ennea five with a wing six.

The others told him about what he missed

An encounter with risen Jesus, what a twist!

Skeptical Thomas didn’t believe

Instead he wanted to be left to grieve

“Unless I can see and touch his scar

I have to believe you saw a ghost from afar”

Well a week went by and not much changed

Thomas listened but his hesitation remained

The disciples were gathered back in their locked house

No one could get in, not even a mouse

But then who should appear in magic act two

Jesus was back and his peace he gives to you

Jesus said, “touch my hands; touch my side”

Thomas did, and his eyes opened wide

Astonished He confessed, “My Lord and my God

You’re looking great in this resurrection bod.”

Jesus replied, “you believe because you behold

But blessed are those who are only told.”

Thank God for Thomas the patron saint of the hipster

Those who are confused and prone to be a resister

You see I think Jesus’ story appears suspicious

To good to be true, it feels a bit fictitious

Water to wine, mud to vision

Walk on water, exorcism

Healing the blind, the lame walk again

Dead back to life, hosanna and amen.

But that’s just His story, what about the rest

Manna from heaven, Gideon’s test

Swallowed by a fish, parted the sea

Wish you could watch it on YouTube TV

Truth be told I can think of reasons to doubt

Not least among them spiritual drought

But even if you’re good and full of God’s zeal

You have to admit there’s a lot God could heal

Let’s start with this virus that kills the air sac

Or that we live in a world with Nickelback

6 million Jews died in concentration camps

Some people can’t eat even with food stamps

The world is being destroyed at an alarming rate

And people are hated if they aren’t straight

Children are in cages down on the border

Pawns in a system of political disorder

Bodies are sold as if that’s the norm

Assault is excused with promise of reform

These problems though they have a theme

Humanity is responsible it would seem

But what about the problems you can’t pin on us

Like tsunamis, earthquakes and a weird virus

And the problem is really much more you see

We have violence in nature and entropy

Even if we could all get along together

We know that universe won’t last forever

I know what you’re thinking; it’s because of the fall

But if I read Genesis 3 that’s not there at all

But all of that doubt is about evil

That says nothing of the science upheaval

The enlightenment ushered in moderNISM

Which seemed to create a faith/science schism

It started with Copernicus comma Nick

Who suggest that the universe was heliocentric

Years later Galileo would support the theory

And the church’s response made people leery

There was Darwin who became evolution’s commentator

And suddenly people weren’t sure that they needed a creator

Marx said religion is the opium of the people

With the primary function to make economic sheeple

Nitsche was similar; he had his own critique

Religion was there to celebrate the weak

Science kept moving forward doing its thing

Eventually people thought God was a make believe king

You might be wondering “Why has Josh written a po’em?

This whole effort seems a little below him?”

If I’m honest it’s because I’m trying to hide

Thomas' story has touched something inside

This year has been hard and I’m not sure why

But it seems prudent to let my apprehension testify

I think it began when I watched my father depart

I could sense that something changed in my heart

Death has been around as long as life

But on that day it introduced new strife

It’s not that I was mad at God, only disappointed

The affections of my heart had become disjointed

So I began to wonder and I began to roam

I even stepped outside of my orthodox home

I made more friends that didn’t believe like me

I listened to podcasts and read books that disagree

And what did I find? I’m glad you asked

The same Jesus I experienced was out there he’s vast

That will make you wonder though

About the bible and what’s okay to let go

Shellfish, mixed fibers and marriage laws

Gold jewelry, slavery and a divorce clause

How can I be faithful? Does God really care?

What if I believe something different? Do I dare?

I’m not saved by works, I’m saved by grace

But are wrong beliefs cause for losing my place?

All this confusion it can feel like a haunting wraith

But Tillich said, "Serious doubt is confirmation of faith."

So I return to that story of Jesus in that room

And I realize there’s so much I can’t assume

Like why Jesus picked his scars instead of throne

To prove he was back and not a clone

Our world is postmodern/ truth claims fall flat

Beliefs are subject to change like a thermostat

Makes me wonder if a throne would work

I bet not since politicians are beserk

So it seems to me the only power that could be real

Would come from a God who would suffer to heal

I suspect the scars are in invitation to you and me

To come join God in this counterintuitive intimacy

I should be honest and tell you doubt will remain

But even that can save us if we share in each other’s pain

I suspect that some of you are beginning to pray

That I would run out of things to say

So let me end this poem on a win

God anticipated this, you are the twin

April 18, 2020

Ubc Waco

Ubc Liturgy Stuff 4-19-2020

April 18, 2020

Ubc Waco

Ubc Liturgy Stuff

April 19, 2020

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics (and chords, if you want to play along!) and scripture readings for the live stream on April 19th (in the order they are needed), as well as some resources for kids! (this includes some stuff that is print-able—if you need Taylor to print stuff for you in the future, just let us know, and we’ll get that set up).

Hope

You lit a fire in the darkness
the darkness did not overcome
while we were hopeless and wandering
You were the Breath in our lungs
You sang out hope into the dead of night
and it echoed off the edge of time
said “i’ll bend lower to find you
i’ve called you mine.”

You lit a fire in the darkness
the darkness did not overcome
though we keep losing our minds here
You know the depth of our thoughts
You sang out hope into the dead of night
and it echoed off the edge of time
said “child, I made you on purpose
I’ve called you mine"

and now every broken piece
will find its place again
and every twisted word you heard
in the night will be silent
the fever it will break
the shadow it will fade
’til all that’s left is light and love
in the Dawn that never fades
on and on

You lit a fire in the darkness
the darkness did not overcome
though our walls keep on closing
You are the field where we’d run
You sang out hope into the dead of night
and it echoed off the edge of time
said “this is not how it ends here
I’ve called you mine

and you can’t go back
no, you can’t go back
though everything keeps fading
this fading here will end
and the ever-brilliant Word whispered
in the night will be shouted
the fever it will break
the shadow it will fade
’til all that’s left is light and love
in the Dawn that never fades
on and on

Waking Life

You’re a hammer blow to the barricade
that I’ve built up in my mind to separate
that which I hold with warm embrace
from that which I have reduced to an empty phrase

You’re a falling blade
to the knot I tied
to secure a heavy shade over my eyes
and as if I had never tasted Light
a stabbing pain slowly gives way
to a Truer Sight

You’re the Waking Life, piercing sleep
Reality, reframing the dream
and as I rise, I don’t recognize my speech
find a garden shed where I once kept my armory

You’re an ember thrown
from a funeral pyre
that infiltrates the cavalcade
of an outrage choir
in the withered aisles
of my fevered mind
now that hollow rage
is wholly remade into a signal fire

You’re the Waking Life, piercing sleep
Reality, reframing the dream
and as I rise, I don’t recognize my speech
find a garden shed where I once kept my armory

You’re the Waking Life, piercing sleep
Reality, reframing the dream
I don’t understand what is happening
but something’s changed in a place I cannot reach
and there’s this ache where I once kept my apathy
like there’s a depth to life and breath in everything

Old Testament Reading

Today’s Old Testament reading is Psalm 16:

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”

As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.

Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names upon my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I keep the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your faithful one see the Pit.

You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

This is the Word of the Lord.

(Thanks be to God)

New Testament Reading

Today’s New Testament reading, and Josh’s sermon text, is John 20:19-31:

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

This is the Word of the Lord.

(Thanks be to God)

New Giving App

We're excited to offer a new way to give to UBC - through a simple, fast and secure app! You can download the free Church Center app and enter "UBC Waco" as your church. In just a few taps, you'll have your account set up and can give any amount, anytime, from anywhere in the world. You can make a one-time donation or set up recurring giving instantly. Best yet, this app is designed specifically for churches, with reduced fees that make sure more of your donation actually goes to support UBC. If you're not an app person, no worries - we've added Church Center as an option under the "give" tab on our website. Thanks for your giving and support of our UBC community!

Because He Lives

God sent his son
they called him Jesus
he came to love, heal, and forgive
He lived and died
to buy my pardon
an empty grave is there to prove
my Savior lives

because he lives I can face tomorrow
because he lives, all fear is gone
because I know he holds the future
and life is worth the living
just because he lives

how sweet to hold
a newborn baby
and feel the pride
and joy she brings
but greater still
the calm assurace
this child can face uncertain days
because he lives

because he lives I can face tomorrow
because he lives, all fear is gone
because I know he holds the future
and life is worth the living
just because he lives

and then one day
i’ll cross the river
i’ll fight life’s final
war with pain
but then as death
gives way to victory
i’ll see the lights of glory
and i’ll know he lives

because he lives I can face tomorrow
because he lives, all fear is gone
because I know he holds the future
and life is worth the living
just because he lives

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen

Benediction

As we approach this week

May we love God
Embrace Beauty
and Live Life to the fullest

Amen

Worship Resources for UBC Kids and Families

(And also anyone who might want them)

Hello friends! (This is Taylor) Here is a link to some fun coloring sheets and activity ideas for Eastertide Week 2. I’ll be talking about them during worship tomorrow! Also included is a kid’s worship bulletin - so if you print it off beforehand kiddos could do that while they watch our worship service! I’m excited to see what you do with these coloring sheets and activities - so please take a picture and tag @ubcwaco when you use them! Thanks everybody! Here is the link: https://illustratedmin.s3.amazonaws.com/weekly-resources/Easter-Week2.pdf.

p.s. - Remember! If you don’t have a printer just let me know and I can print them out for you!

April 14, 2020

josh carney

ITLOTC 4-14-20

April 14, 2020

josh carney

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church)

Easter

Hey friends! Here’s the thing – I’m obsessed with hearing about what people are doing to get through this time of social distancing. We are all using different skills and activities to help ourselves make it through. And so – I wanted to share a few things with you that I’m doing in the hopes that you will reply and tell me what YOU are doing! This is such a strange time (I know we’ve all said that one million times over the past month or so – but that doesn’t make it less true!) and I think more than ever I have noticed and felt within myself the need to hold myself accountable while also offering myself grace. I hope that in this season you are being kind to yourself and remembering that your worth is not defined by what you do or what you produce – but, rather, that you are inherently loved and worthy and created in the image of God and you can rest in that.

So, here are some things I’m doing to get through social distancing:

1. Rewatching all of the Gourmet Makes videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72eq0zeUH3A I love this episode!

I’m really watching all of the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen videos but I particularly love Gourmet Makes. Claire makes snack foods from scratch and it’s always fascinating and hilarious to watch. Also, she has very strong Enneagram 1 vibes for all you Enneagram 1s out there. The Bon Appetit Test Kitchen is a happy place and so I always feel better after watching a video!

2. Baking and Cooking

Here’s the recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018203-simple-crusty-bread?action=click&module=Collection%20Page%20Recipe%20Card&region=36%20of%20Our%20Best%20Bread%20Recipes&pgType=collection&rank=3&auth=regi-lite&re… — Here’s the recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018203-simple-crusty-bread?action=click&module=Collection%20Page%20Recipe%20Card&region=36%20of%20Our%20Best%20Bread%20Recipes&pgType=collection&rank=3&auth=regi-lite&referring_pv_id=1I5N4D6QW02070hnizQ2q1ev

I am an ok cook – I have always been able to follow a recipe pretty well. But this season has given me more opportunity to try recipes that I never had the time to complete! I also think that cooking and baking is helpful for me in this time because it gives me a sense of control over what is happening – at least in my kitchen for an hour or two – and that is helpful for me as things feel a little out of my control right now! I’ve included the next recipe I plan on trying – for some crusty bread! (which sounds delicious right now!)

3. Spending time outside (in safe ways)

I always find it easy to get caught in a loop between my bed and my couch – but I know that my body and my mind both feel better when I spend time outside. A lucky thing we’ve realized is that our internet connection reaches to our backyard so we have been trying to work outside and spend time back there every day. We also took my dog out to the lake last weekend and it was beautiful – there weren’t very many people and everyone was safely practicing social distancing! It was probably the highlight of my week last week!

There are a few more things I’m trying to do regularly: moving my body (I got a refit on demand membership and it’s great! You can get one here), reading as much as I can, connecting and reconnecting with friends and family on zoom and facetime, and I’m trying to learn to cross stitch! But mostly – I want to hear from you! What are you doing and what is helping you? Have you watched anything/read anything/made anything great that you would recommend for others? Let me know in the comments or you can email me at taylor@ubcwaco.org.

I am so thankful for all of you and the way you have been so present in this community over the past few weeks! I feel so encouraged by so many of you and I hope that in this time we can continue to encourage each other and grow and be formed in new ways.

Meet Our UBCer

Myer John Williams

Birthday: 1-28-20

Birth Height: 22 1/2 inches

Birth Weight: 9 lbs 12 oz

Enneagram Number: 5w6

Lead Team Nominations

Due to the unforeseen circumstances that COVID has created and the way this may have disrupted candidates lives, we have decided to wait another month before selecting someone to fill Byron Griffin’s role on the leadership team. To that end we are also opening up the nomination process in this time due to the lack of communication about this process because we have not been meeting.

If you would like to nominate someone for the leadership team, please do so by using this link to fill out the form.

(A) Purpose. The Leadership Team shall be the primary decision-making body of UBC. The Leadership Team will oversee all the business and property of the church, as well as make the final decisions regarding hiring and dismissal of staff and the acquisition and selling of assets that are beyond budgetary provisions.

(C) Qualifications. Each member of Leadership Team shall have been a member of UBC for at least one year, exhibited an understanding and commitment to the mission and values of the church, and be willing to fulfill all responsibilities in the Leadership Team job description.

(E) Term. Members of Leadership Team may serve for a duration lasting up to three years. While they are encouraged to remain the full three years, members may voluntarily remove themselves from their position at any time

Town Hall

We will have a town hall to discuss the life of the church and information this Sunday April 19 after church. We will give you an update on finances and other plans.

The town hall will be a facebook live event (perhaps will just keep the camera rolling after service is complete). What we would like from you is for you to email any questions you might have about the church to toph@ubcwaco.org. We will also be taking questions during the live stream.

UBC’ers Graduate Recognition

If you are graduating (hs, college, grad school, phd) we would love to recognize you at our annual Mr. Rogers service this year. The service is going to be on 4/26, and we are putting together a video so we can know who is graduating and what your next steps are. If you are graduating, please send toph@ubcwaco.org an email and let him know. Then he will follow up with instructions on what he needs from you. We are sad we won’t be able to honor you in person, but want to make sure you are recognized. If you have any questions, contact Toph.

Family Resource Pantry - (any questions, email toph@ubcwaco.org)

We are partnering with WacoISD, Prosper Waco, Grassroots Development, Baylor External Affairs, and Antioch to create The Family Resource Pantry, which will be a strategic way of meeting the needs of families in Waco ISD. UBC is partnering by helping to provide volunteers on Tuesdays, and helping to provide “Essentials” to stock the pantry. Grassroots Development, in partnership with Waco ISD, will help identify the families within our community who have the greatest needs, and we will do delivery to those families on Tuesday/Friday. Below are two ways to volunteer.

1) We need volunteers to help package and distribute pantry items on Tuesday afternoons, from 1-5pm. There will be two shifts, 1-3pm, and 3-5pm. We will need at least 3 volunteers each shift. If you would like to volunteer, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

2) We need to help stock the pantry. Below you will find a list of essential items we will need. If you are willing to buy these items, you can have them shipped directly to UBC, contact Toph to come pick them up, or schedule a time to drop them off at UBC. Here is the list of items:

Food: (Bread, Cooking oil, Milk, Peanut Butter, jelly, Cereal, Granola Bars, trail mix)
Diapers (need sizes)
Formula
Wipes
Cleaning supplies
Toilet Paper
Soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes
Laundry Detergent
School supplies like:
- Spiral notebooks, Pencils, pencil sharpeners, Pens, Crayons, coloring books

Parishioner(s) of the Week

Each year, every academic program chooses students to honor at the Academic Honors Week Convocation. The 2020 Academic Honors Week Convocation honors two outstanding students from the International Studies major: Estelle McKinney and Audrey Crites. Congratulations, Estelle and Audrey!

Work is Worship

Greeters: No Greeters this week

Coffee Makers: no coffee makers this week

Mug Cleaners: no mug cleaners this week

Money Counter: no money counters this week

Leadership Team

If you have a concern or an idea for UBC that you’d like to share with someone that is not on staff, feel free to contact one of our leadership team members.

Chair: Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Jeremy Nance: Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com

Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@gmail.com

Kathy Krey: kathykrey@gmail.com

Jose Zuniga: jzgrphix2002@yahoo.com

Taylor Torregrossa: Taylordtorregrossa@gmail.com

Student Position: Davis Misloski

Student Position: Maddy O’Shaughnessy

UBC Finance Team

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

JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu

Catherine Ballas: catherine@refitrev.com

Jen Carron: jen.carron78@gmail.com

Mike Dodson: financeteammike@gmail.com

George Thornton: GeorgecCT1982@gmail.com

UBC HR Team

If you have concerns about staff and would like contact our human resources team, please feel free to email any of the following members.

Erin Albin: erin.albin1@gmail.com

Sam Goff: samuelgoff92@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Craig Nash: Craig_Nash@baylor.edu

April 11, 2020

Ubc Waco

Ubc Liturgy Stuff 4-12-2020

April 11, 2020

Ubc Waco

Ubc Liturgy Stuff

April 12, 2020

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics (and chords, if you want to play along!) and scripture readings for the live stream on April 12th (in the order they are needed), as well as some resources for kids! (this includes some stuff that is print-able—if you need Taylor to print stuff for you in the future, just let us know, and we’ll get that set up).

In the Night

Chord Charts: Guitar, Capo 2; Standard

I am weary with the pain of Jacob’s wrestling
In the darkness with the fear
In the darkness with the fear
But he met the morning wounded, with a blessing
So in the night my hope lives on

Oh in the night
Oh in the night
Oh in the night
My hope lives on

When Elisha woke surrounded by the forces
Of the enemies of God, the enemies of God
He saw the hills ablaze with angels on their horses
So in the night, my hope lives on

Oh in the night
Oh in the night
Oh in the night
My hope lives on

I see the slave who toils beneath the yoke, unyielding
And I can hear the captive groan, hear the captive groan
For some hand to stay the whip his foe is wielding
Still in the night my hope lives on

Oh in the night
Oh in the night
Oh in the night
My hope lives on

I see the armies of the enemy approaching
And the people driven trembling for the shore
But a doorway through the water now is opening
So in the night, my hope lives on

Oh in the night
Oh in the night
Oh in the night
My hope lives on

Like the son who thought he’d gone beyond forgiveness
too ashamed to lift his head
but if he could lift his head
he would see his father running from a distance,
in the night my hope lives on

Oh in the night
Oh in the night
Oh in the night
My hope lives on

I remember how they scorned the son of Mary
he was gentle as a lamb
gentle as a lamb
but he was beaten, crucified, and buried
and in the night my hope was gone

-

but the rulers of this earth could not control him
no, they did not take his life—he laid it down
and the gates of hell could never hope to hold him
yeah, in the night my hope lives on

oh in the night
oh in the night
oh in the night
my hope lives on

Because He Lives

Chords

God sent his son
They called him Jesus
He came to love
Heal and forgive
He bled and died
To buy my pardon
An empty grave is there
To prove my savior lives

Because he lives, I can face tomorrow
Because he lives, all fear is gone
Because I know he holds the future
Life is worth the living just because he lives

How sweet to hold
A newborn baby
And feel the pride
And joy she brings
But greater still:
The calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days
because he lives

Because he lives, I can face tomorrow
Because he lives, all fear is gone
Because I know he holds the future
Life is worth the living just because he lives

and then one day
I’ll cross the river
I’ll fight life’s final
War with pain
But then as death
Gives way to victory
I’ll see the lights of glory
And I’ll know he lives

Because he lives, I can face tomorrow
Because he lives, all fear is gone
Because I know he holds the future
Life is worth the living just because he lives

Twice Begun

Jesus Christ did not cling tight
To height nor form divine
But instead emptied himself
Into the hands of time
The wind drew cracks in the lips of Love
The sun beat down the Light
Now Life itself has torn the veil of death
That all the rest may rise

Now Life and Death and Resurrection
Are painted over all creation
The colors swirling into one
As if every moment is now
Twice begun
And doesn’t stop:
The path, the Pulse, the clock

Jesus Christ did not cling tight
To height nor pow’r divine
But instead emptied himself
Into Breath and Blood and Spine
As the feeble crowds began to mount
The powers of state and faith aligned
To crush that which might tear their mountains down
But he turned not his mind
That all the rest may rise

Now Life and Death and Resurrection
Are painted over all creation
The colors swirling into one
As if every moment is now
Twice begun
So mourn your losses, sing your songs
But build your houses with fingers crossed
There is a hope now graven in the dawn
And every ending to that burning edge belongs

Old Testament Reading

Today’s Old Testament reading is Jeremiah 31:1-6:

At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

Thus says the Lord:

The people who survived the sword
found grace in the wilderness;

when Israel sought for rest,
the Lord appeared to him from far away.

I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

Again I will build you, and you shall be built,
O virgin Israel!

Again you shall take your tambourines,
and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.

Again you shall plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria;

the planters shall plant,
and shall enjoy the fruit.

For there shall be a day when sentinels will call
in the hill country of Ephraim:

“Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the Lord our God.

This is the Word of the Lord.

(Thanks be to God)

New Testament Reading

Today’s New Testament reading, and Josh’s sermon text, is Matthew 28:1-10

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.

His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.”

So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”.

This is the Word of the Lord.

(Thanks be to God)

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen

Benediction

As we approach this week

May we love God
Embrace Beauty
and Live Life to the fullest

Amen

Worship Resources for UBC Kids and Families

(And also anyone who might want them)

Hello friends! (This is Taylor) Here is a link to some fun coloring sheets and activity ideas for Lent Week 5. I’ll be talking about them during worship tomorrow! Also included is a kid’s worship bulletin - so if you print it off beforehand kiddos could do that while they watch our worship service! I’m excited to see what you do with these coloring sheets and activities - so please take a picture and tag @ubcwaco when you use them! Thanks everybody! Here is the link: https://illustratedmin.s3.amazonaws.com/weekly-resources/Easter.pdf.

p.s. - Remember! If you don’t have a printer just let me know and I can print them out for you!

April 7, 2020

josh carney

ITLOTC 4-7-20

April 7, 2020

josh carney

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church)

Holy Week

More on the Body

On Monday I spent most of my day planning a digital worship experience that will be your Maundy Thursday dinner companion video (look for this in the future). It’s the most bummed I’ve been about not getting to worship with you since this all happened. In fact, to be honest, I’ve enjoyed a good deal of the change that has been thrust on me since this started (with the exception of the obvious horrible things like death and job loss and . . .). But Maundy Thursday is a bummer for me. If you’ve ever been to our service, you know that it’s a potluck worship experience. And on top of all that, I don’t have to preach. We simply read the Scripture, reflect together, and take communion. That’s it. It’s probably how I would design church if I were a bishop in the first century when all of this got kicked off.

As I’ve been crafting the worship experience, which is designed for you to partake in at your dinner table, I’ve done so with a silent running assumption: all of you will be eating with at least one other person to process the reflections. But I have to assume that at least one person won’t.

Being a pastor has made me a kind of idealogue. Not really, most of my opinions are pretty flimsy, but I have this unrelenting conviction that Jesus is the Son of God and perfect. The church, the bride of this perfect human, is supposed to mimic that perfection. Our theology affords us the space to fail and no one really expects the church to be perfect like Jesus, but I guess I do expect her to strive to be so. Merton prayed, “I hope it’s my desire to please you that pleases.” I guess I think our desire should be sincere even if our effort can’t be. What this has led to me in praxis is confession. I confess both what the church should be and what she is not. What I don’t get excused from is telling the truth, even when I’m complicit.

I’m torn about the single person on Maundy Thursday problem. To honor my neighbor is to abide by CDC guidelines and to honor my brother and sister is to make a sacrifice, sometimes of my own safety. All I have is my confession: I don’t know how to fix this problem.

Let me at least shine a light on the good. This season of separateness has made me think more acutely about the lonely. About the church’s systems that isolate. About our relationship with the scripts about family and normalcy and acceptance. Paul did say celibacy is a calling. I’ve felt called to very few things. So few that I don’t know that I could describe calling very well. I think of phrases like “burning in my bones,” and “can’t stand not to do something.” To be celebate, I would think someone would need to feel those emotions with that intensity about that life. But I don’t think very many people are called to that.

Of course we could maybe clear up some of the confusion on celibacy if the church was a body in a way that disrupted the scripts handed to us about family by culture--if loneliness was rare, if those of us who had the luxury of many in our immediate space could share that many with the few.

All of this has led me to think about the body and its power. One year on Easter when I was a teenager, I decided to get up early in the morning and read the resurrection texts. At some point in my reading a latent problem materialized in my mind concerning my own theology. I was, for all intents and purposes, a Platonist about salvation, souls, and heaven. I accepted Jesus in my heart to save my soul so that I could go to heaven to be with Jesus for eternity. I should also say that I sang about and conversed in the theology of resurrection. What never dawned on me until reading that morning was that the two motifs didn’t really work well together. If my soul was going to heaven for eternity, what would I need a resurrected body for? Well you know how these things work themselves out. I read NT Wright’s 800-page tome on bodily resurrection in which he says that the resurrected body has something in continuity and discontinuity with the present one (this makes sense of Jesus’s cryptic appearances--Mary in the Garden, the Road to Emmaus, the whimsical seashore reveal, and his David Copperfield move through the Great Wall of China act in John 21), and I made friends with a patristic scholar who convinced me that the church fathers were NeoPlatonists. In short, I don’t worry about souls and bodies anymore, I just lean into those images when I need them for confession.

Back to the lonelies and the power of our bodies. I’ll tell you the Bible story I’ve thought about at least 100 times since this shelter in place thing went into effect: Thomas touching Jesus’s scars. How impressive is that one now? How appropriate does the need to verify the presence of Jesus’s actual body seem now? And how important must bodies be for salvation if God redeemed them? And how descriptive (read truth telling) must scars be if they are kept around in a world free from pain?

I can feel the absence of your bodies. I miss your energy, your presence. I can foresee a moment in the future when I’m eager even to see your scars. And what is the grace then? The grace is this: now I know how to pray for the lonelies just a little bit better.

Thanks be to God.

Holy Week Schedule

Maundy Thursday dinner companion video to be released Thursday on Facebook.

Good Friday live stream service @ 3:00 PM

Easter Sunday Service lives stream @ 10:45 AM

Leadership Team Meeting Recap

Our leadership team met this past Sunday 4-5 to discuss a few things.

Craig Nash was selected as a HR rep. We are excited to have Craig as part of the team.
Due to the unforeseen circumstances that COVID has created and the way this may have disrupted candidates lives, we have decided to wait another month before selecting someone to fill Byron Griffin’s role on the leadership team. To that end we are also opening up the nomination process in this time due to the lack of communication about this process because we have not been meeting.
We talked through UBCs current financial information, which is not dire, more info on that at the April town hall (see below).
Staff asked for feedback on ways that we can be actively serving UBC during this strange time.

Town Hall

We will have a town hall to discuss the life of the church another information on Sunday April 19 after church. We will give you an update on finances and other plans.

UBC’ers Graduate Recognition

If you are graduating (hs, college, grad school, phd) we would love to recognize you at our annual Mr. Rogers service this year. The service is going to be on 4/26, and we are putting together a video so we can know who is graduating and what your next steps are. If you are graduating, please send toph@ubcwaco.org an email and let him know. Then he will follow up with instructions on what he needs from you. We are sad we won’t be able to honor you in person, but want to make sure you are recognized. If you have any questions, contact Toph.

UBC Pen Pal Program

Want to connect with other UBCers during this time of social distancing? Want to make a meet someone new and make a new friend or connect with a family and make a BUNCH of new friends? Then you should let Taylor know that you want to be a UBC Pen Pal! You can email her at taylor@ubcwaco.org and let her know you want to participate! And just think of how fun it will be when you get to meet your Pen Pal in person when we all worship together again! You should do it!

Family Resource Pantry - (any questions, email toph@ubcwaco.org)

We are partnering with WacoISD, Prosper Waco, Grassroots Development, Baylor External Affairs, and Antioch to create The Family Resource Pantry, which will be a strategic way of meeting the needs of families in Waco ISD. UBC is partnering by helping to provide volunteers on Tuesdays, and helping to provide “Essentials” to stock the pantry. Grassroots Development, in partnership with Waco ISD, will help identify the families within our community who have the greatest needs, and we will do delivery to those families on Tuesday/Friday. Below are two ways to volunteer.

1) We need volunteers to help package and distribute pantry items on Tuesday afternoons, from 1-5pm. There will be two shifts, 1-3pm, and 3-5pm. We will need at least 3 volunteers each shift. If you would like to volunteer, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

2) We need to help stock the pantry. Below you will find a list of essential items we will need. If you are willing to buy these items, you can have them shipped directly to UBC, contact Toph to come pick them up, or schedule a time to drop them off at UBC. Here is the list of items:

Food: (Bread, Cooking oil, Milk, Peanut Butter, jelly, Cereal, Granola Bars, trail mix)
Diapers (need sizes)
Formula
Wipes
Cleaning supplies
Toilet Paper
Soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes
Laundry Detergent
School supplies like:
- Spiral notebooks, Pencils, pencil sharpeners, Pens, Crayons, coloring books

Sunday Liturgy Stream

If you missed the livestream from Sunday and/or don’t have Facebook, we’ll be uploading the videos to our Vimeo account. This weeks however is on youtube. You can watch the service from 4/5 here.

Social Distancing Social Opps

Because the pub group extravaganza live on instagram was such a wild success, brother Jameson McGregor will come to you live again this Wednesday 4-8-20.
We had a second great lunch today with 14 folks in attendance from "Alabama to Waco".” The UBC Staff will be hosting lunch virtually every Tuesday at 12pm, for about an hour. We would love for you to join. Follow us on FB, and will send out the meeting link shortly before noon each week. Any questions, contact toph@ubcwaco.org
Friendly reminder that the youth are gathering digitally on daily from 1:00-1:45 and Wednesday evenings 6:30-8:00 PM. Links can be requested from hannah@ubcwaco.org
We are going to be starting a UBC Pen Pal Program! If you would like the opportunity to connect with other UBCers during this time to exchange emails (or letters!! In the real mail!) please contact taylor@ubcwaco this week and she will get you connected!

Parishioner of the Week

Kaleb Loomis & Aly Vukelich for getting engaged. Great job team.

Work is Worship

Greeters: No Greeters this week

Coffee Makers: no coffee makers this week

Mug Cleaners: no mug cleaners this week

Money Counter: no money counters this week

Leadership Team

If you have a concern or an idea for UBC that you’d like to share with someone that is not on staff, feel free to contact one of our leadership team members.

Chair: Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Jeremy Nance: Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com

Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@gmail.com

Kathy Krey: kathykrey@gmail.com

Jose Zuniga: jzgrphix2002@yahoo.com

Taylor Torregrossa: Taylordtorregrossa@gmail.com

Student Position: Davis Misloski

Student Position: Maddy O’Shaughnessy

UBC Finance Team

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

JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu

Catherine Ballas: catherine@refitrev.com

Jen Carron: jen.carron78@gmail.com

Mike Dodson: financeteammike@gmail.com

George Thornton: GeorgecCT1982@gmail.com

UBC HR Team

If you have concerns about staff and would like contact our human resources team, please feel free to email any of the following members.

Erin Albin: erin.albin1@gmail.com

Sam Goff: samuelgoff92@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Craig Nash: Craig_Nash@baylor.edu

March 31, 2020

Ubc Waco

ITLOTC 3-31-20

March 31, 2020

Ubc Waco

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church)

Lent

Daily Reflections (by jamie)

Greetings. I hope this finds you well. Since we are a couple of weeks into this strange new world, I’m sure that you have already encountered any number of people commenting on the importance of taking on some sort of routine to cope with shelter in place life. To that end, I’ve collected some prayers, poems, and pericopes that might offer you a point of reflection as you go through your days. I’m going to attempt to provide something like this weekly for the remainder of our distanced life (however long that might be). The readings are in a particular order, but you need not follow it. And feel free to use these however you want—you could conceivably make a liturgy of the whole thing in a single sitting, to be repeated throughout the week, or you could read one of these a day. THERE ARE NO RULES HERE.

These readings are all Lenten in theme, as that is the season in which we find ourselves for another week or so. In the midst of this strange time, let us continue to be present to the reminder offered to us on Ash Wednesday that life is, in fact, happening now.

If you want to talk about any of these, email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

——

The other morning some of us were together in a church where the rector was saying Morning Prayer, and leading us in a guided silent prayer. He said, ‘Let us pray for those whom we love.’ And that was easy. Then he said, ‘Let us pray for those whom we do not love.’ And there rose up before my mind three men for whom I had to pray. They were men who have opposed my work. In this they may have been wrong. But my wrong was in resentment and a feeling of letting myself be cut off from them, and even from praying for them, because of it. Years ago I read a quotation from Mary Lyon that recurs to me again and again: ‘Nine-tenths of our suffering is caused by others not thinking so much of us as we think they ought.’ If you want to know where pride nestles and festers in most of us, that is right where it is; and it is not the opposition of others, but our own pride, which causes us the deepest hurt. I never read a word that penetrated more deeply into the sin of pride from which all of us suffer, nor one which opens up more surgically our places of unforgiveness.

Samuel Moor Shoemaker, And Thy Neighbor

——

O Son of God
Do a miracle for me
And change my heart.
Thy having taken flesh
To redeem me
Was more difficult
Than to transform
My wickedness.

Irish, 15th century

——

Come swiftly, O Lord, to the dark moments when we
are lost. Make us aware of Thy presence. Strengthen
us to resist the urges and pulls to deeper darkness. Stir
us to move away from the dark moments of sinfulness
toward the light of Thy forgiveness. Come quickly,
O Lord, as we call—or forget to call—and keep Thou
close to us and keep us close to Thee this day and
night and as far as the days and nights stretch before
us, through Christ. Amen.

James W. Kennedy, Holy Island—A Lenten Pilgrimage

——

“I love and love not: Lord, it breaks my heart
            To love and not to love.
Thou veiled within Thy glory, gone apart
            Into Thy shrine which is above,
Dost Thou not love me, Lord, or care
            For this mine ill?”—

“I love thee here or there, I will accept thy broken heart—lie still.”

“Lord, it was well with me in time gone by
That cometh not again,
When I was fresh and cheerful: worn with pain
Now, out of sight and out of heart;
O Lord, how long?”

“I watch thee as thou art.
I will accept thy fainting heart—be strong.”

“Lie still, be strong, today: but, Lord, tomorrow,
            What of tomorrow, Lord?
Shall there be rest from toil, be truce from sorrow,
            Be living green upon the sward,
Now but a barren grave to me,
            Be joy for sorrow?”

“Did I not die for thee?
Did I not live for thee? Leave me tomorrow.”

Christina Rossetti, “I Love and Love Not”

——

He forever goes before us to prepare a place for us.
he is on the road we tread. Wherever life is leading
us., He has gone before. Perhaps we have no clue
about what lies ahead; we know who is ahead of us,
so the future is not quite unknown.

David Adam, The Edge of Glory

Leadership Team Meeting

We have our quarterly leadership team this Sunday after church. The agenda is pretty thin at this point: selecting a new lead team member, hr member, and check ins. If you’d like to reach out to them with a concern or an agenda item please feel free. Their emails are listed at the bottom of this blog or if you are reading this through email please click on the blog link and scroll to the bottom.

Sunday Liturgy Stream

If you missed the livestream from Sunday and/or don’t have Facebook, we’ll be uploading the videos to our Vimeo account. You can watch the service from 3/29 here: https://vimeo.com/402650510.

Social Distancing Social Opps

Because the pub group extravaganza live on instagram was such a wild success, brother Jameson McGregor will come to you live again this Wednesday 4-1-20.
We had a second great lunch today with 14 folks in attendance from "Alabama to Waco".” The UBC Staff will be hosting lunch virtually every Tuesday at 12pm, for about an hour. We would love for you to join. Follow us on FB, and will send out the meeting link shortly before noon each week. Any questions, contact toph@ubcwaco.org
Friendly reminder that the youth are gathering digitally on daily from 1:00-1:45 and Wednesday evenings 6:30-8:00 PM. Links can be requested from hannah@ubcwaco.org
We are going to be starting a UBC Pen Pal Program! If you would like the opportunity to connect with other UBCers during this time to exchange emails (or letters!! In the real mail!) please contact taylor@ubcwaco this week and she will get you connected!

Parishioner of the Week

All of our fearless champions that work at the Texas Hunger Initiative. Kathy Krey, Craig Nash, Dustin Kunz, and Jared Gould. These ballers have been providing food for children (probably 100 million at least) everyday since school shut down.

Work is Worship

Greeters: No Greeters this week

Coffee Makers: no coffee makers this week

Mug Cleaners: no mug cleaners this week

Money Counter: no money counters this week

Leadership Team

If you have a concern or an idea for UBC that you’d like to share with someone that is not on staff, feel free to contact one of our leadership team members.

Chair: Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Jeremy Nance: Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com

Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@gmail.com

Kathy Krey: kathykrey@gmail.com

Jose Zuniga: jzgrphix2002@yahoo.com

Taylor Torregrossa: Taylordtorregrossa@gmail.com

Student Position: Davis Misloski

Student Position: Maddy O’Shaughnessy

UBC Finance Team

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

JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu

Catherine Ballas: catherine@refitrev.com

Jen Carron: jen.carron78@gmail.com

Mike Dodson: financeteammike@gmail.com

George Thornton: GeorgecCT1982@gmail.com

UBC HR Team

If you have concerns about staff and would like contact our human resources team, please feel free to email any of the following members.

Erin Albin: erin.albin1@gmail.com

Sam Goff: samuelgoff92@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

March 28, 2020

Ubc Waco

Ubc Liturgy Stuff 3-29-2020

March 28, 2020

Ubc Waco

Ubc Liturgy Stuff

March 29, 2020

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics (and chords, if you want to play along!) and scripture readings for the live stream on March 29th (in the order they are needed), as well as some resources for kids! (this includes some stuff that is print-able—if you need Taylor to print stuff for you in the future, just let us know, and we’ll get that set up).