Liturgy Stuff 1-24-2021

January 24, 2021

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on January 24th (in the order they are needed).

Wideness

there’s a wideness in god’s mercy
like the wideness of the sea
there’s a kindness in god’s justice
which is more than liberty
there is welcome for the sinner,
the cast-off, and the unloved
there is mercy with the savior
there is healing in his blood

for the love of god is broader than
the measure of our mind
and the heart of the eternal
is most wonderfully kind
but we make his love to narrow
by false limits of our own
and we magnify his strictness
with a zeal he will not own

there’s grace enough for thousands
of new worlds as great as this
there’s room for fresh creations
in that upper home of bliss
there’s plentiful redemption
in the blood that has been shed
there’s joy for every creature
in the sorrows of the head

for the love of god is broader than
the measure of our mind
and the heart of the eternal
is most wonderfully kind
but we make his love to narrow
by false limits of our own
and we magnify his strictness
with a zeal he will not own

o holy instructor
I fear we’ve found a way to
be wholly destructive
and pin the blame on you
o wideness, come searching
and repair what went wrong

Call to Worship

we have gathered to worship
the Living God

our rock and salvation,
our fortress in whom we will not be shaken

to enter the story of God

and find our own stories reimagined

inviting the Spirit of God to form us more fully in the way of Christ

to speak resurrection into our wounds
and love into our hearts and minds

Amen

Lifted/Lifting

eternal Word, now spoken plain
familiar question, better framed
all the best answers seem to bend
the veil is lifted, the veil is lifting

guiding lamp light, make it plain
the path beyond these empty graves
a reconciling epiphany
the veil is lifted, the veil is lifting
the veil is lifted, the veil is lifting

o dynamic love, come renovate these painted tombs
and cultivate this fledgling hope into bloom
until it spreads like a garden through the gloom
until it’s lifted, keep on lifting

breath of life, exhaled in time
draw a blaze from ember light
subtle glow, now flickering
and if it fades, breathe out again
the veil is lifted, the veil is lifting

o dynamic love, come renovate these painted tombs
and cultivate this fledgling hope into bloom
until it spreads like a garden through the gloom
until it’s lifted, keep on lifting

time again, enduring light
recalibrate these bleary eyes
until the night is noonday lit
the veil is lifted, the veil is lifting

Someday I’ll Start Again

someday i’ll start again
but i’ve got promises to keep
someday i’ll start again
but first I have to do something

’cause I don’t know what I don’t know
I guess that’s just the way it is

someday i’ll start again
for now i’m trying to slow the tape
and for a moment, get a grip
on all I’ve tried to hide away

‘cause i’ve don’t know what I don’t know
and i’ve practiced it for years

someday i’ll start again
and I hope that it’s enough
I pay a man twice a month
to make sure I haven’t given up

and I don’t know what I don’t know
but something has to give
no, I don’t know what I don’t know
but I know where to begin

and someday i’ll start again

Old Testament Reading

Today’s Old Testament reading is Jonah 3:1-5, 10:

The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

New Testament Reading

Today’s New Testament reading is Mark 1:14-20:

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

Giving

UBC relies on the generosity of the community. If you are a in place that you are able to give of your time, talent, and resources to UBC we would be grateful. If you want to make a financial contribution, the easiest way to do so is through our church center app.

Dry Years

eternal, uncreated
who traced the frame before there was a frame
and never did forget it
though the shape
was mired along the way
would you now yet speak it
reassert the vision of the name
write it on our longing
like a pillar of fire and cloud the same

with urgency and grace
would you restore
what the dry years took away

o god of life, may your mercy shine
upon the painted world
with power benign
and raise our hearts to sing
like the moon pull to the tide
’til every riven thing
is found whole yet in plain sight

out here in the distance
among the fences
we build around our dreams
there’s a numbing of the senses
abject indifference
and ubiquitous fatigue
so would you now yet speak it,
holy beacon, the vision of the name
write it on our longing
like a pillar of fire and cloud the same

with urgency and grace
would you restore
what the dry years took away

o god of life, may your mercy shine
upon the painted world
with power benign
and raise our hearts to sing
like the moon pull to the tide
’til every riven thing
is found whole yet in plain sight

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

ITLOTC 1-19-21

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church)

Epiphany

Psalm 139 (By Taylor)

Hi friends! It’s Taylor here. I have been bumping up against Psalm 139 a lot lately – it has come up in several meaningful ways recently. The most recent way was when an Instagram account I follow called Black Liturgies (@blackliturgies) posted this translation of v.15 -16 a few days ago:

“15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. You knew all the days that would form me when none of them yet existed.”

(By the way – if you don’t follow Black Liturgies you definitely should. Cole Arthur Riley is doig beautiful, meaningful, formative work I the content posted there.)

            A lot has happened over the course of the last few weeks. A lot has happened over the course of the last few months and the last few years. And maybe this is my own perception – but it feels as if the world is spinning faster than it used to; as if I cannot catch my breath between catastrophes, and I am running on reserves.

            And for some reason these words – and much of Psalm 139 – has been very grounding to me. A reminder that I am seen and known (and loved!) by the Divine. A reminder that though I might feel like a spinning top nothing has come to pass that could not have been foreseen by God. I don’t claim to know how all of it works but it is good to be reminded that it does. And it is always good to be reminded that ,though I play a part, it does not rest solely on me or my knowledge.

            So, I hope that will be comforting to you a well today. You are seen and known and loved – way deep down to the very core of who you are. God is with you on the good days and the bad days and the very, very normal days. I hope you rest in that knowledge.

Alicia Martinez

Friends in case you were not able to worship with us Sunday we also wanted to share here about the loss of UBCer Alicia Martinez. Alicia died after battle with COVID19. Alicia volunteered with our children’s ministry, served on parent’s night out and was actively involved in the life of our community. She had advance standing in the social work program at Baylor, and as such had a deepened sense of connection with that subset of our community. Her memorial service will be live-streamed on Friday at 11:30. You can find the link in her obituary which can be found here.

Meet the UBC(ers)

The Sepanskis

Giving Statements

Giving statements will be available for pick up at UBC on Sundays 12-31 & 1-7 from 12-2 PM. Any statements not picked up during those times will be mailed after.

Parishioner of the Week

Alicia Martinez for everything she gave to all of us.

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

Luci Hoppe: lhoppe@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. 

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

Liturgy Stuff 1-17-2021

January 17, 2021

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on January 17th (in the order they are needed).

Mother

is there a hair on my head
you haven’t numbered yet?
in the night, crying in the cold,
is there a pain of mine you haven’t called your own?

O, Mother Comfort
Mother Known

though our minds
so well ignore your grace
you bring it just the same
we reside in your self-giving love
but you’ve somehow found enough
for all the space that we take up

O, Mother Wisdom
Mother Love
Mother Comfort
Mother Enough

through life and death, that cradled set
beginning and the end, Beginning and the End,
you are a shield, a beacon of defense
and our weaknesses align as you gather us in

O, Mother Warrior
Mother Age-to-Age
Mother Wisdom
Mother Grace
Mother Comfort
Mother Love-that-can’t-be-bought
Mother Faithful

Mother God

Call to Worship

we have gathered to worship
the Eternal One

the God who Sees,
in whom we are known truly
and loved fully

to enter the story of God

and find our own stories reimagined

inviting the Spirit of God to form us more fully in the way of Christ

transforming our hearts and minds
that we might love our neighbors,
our strangers, friends, and enemies,
as God does

Amen

Because He Lives

God sent God’s 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 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
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

Up To The Mountain (MLK Song) by Patty Griffin

I went up to the mountain because you asked me to
up over the clouds where the sky is blue
I could see all around me, everywhere
I could see all around me, everywhere

sometimes I feel like i’ve never been nothing but tired
and i’ll be walking ‘til the day I expire
sometimes I lay down, no more can I do
but then I go on again because you asked me to

some days I look down, afraid I will fall
and though the sun shines, I see nothing at all
and then I hear your sweet voice, come and then go
telling me softly that you love me so

the peaceful valley, just over the mountain
the peaceful valley, few come to know
I may never get there, ever in this lifetime
but sooner or later, it’s there I will go

sooner or later, it’s there I will go

Old Testament Reading

Today’s Old Testament reading is 1 Samuel 3:1-10:

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lordcalled, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 

Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

New Testament Reading

Today’s New Testament reading is John 1:43-51:

Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Giving

UBC relies on the generosity of the community. If you are a in place that you are able to give of your time, talent, and resources to UBC we would be grateful. If you want to make a financial contribution, the easiest way to do so is through our church center app.

As Yet Untitled Unfinished Song

come to me, ye weary
dissolve into my gentle breeze
and find there is a light here in the shade

come heavy head, ye soul-sick dregs
and cast upon me that which keeps you bent
and find there is a light beyond the shade

For the God Who Sees is not far away

come to me, ye filthy rich
and cast your fortunes to wilder winds
and find there is a light you cannot possess

o, gather round, ye powder kegs
but hold your fire, before nothing’s left
and find there is a light you cannot demand

for god is not mocked and will not be co-opted

so gather up your grief, gather up the sun-bleached
bones of your dreams, bring it all to me
for there’s a lightness beyond lightness
in the Ground Beneath All Being
and my burden is peace
so come to me
come and find
there’s a lightness

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

ITLOTC 1-12-21

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church)

Epiphany

Sundays Remarks

Hello friends. Truth be told, I wrote a new entry for this newsletter. Then after sitting with it for 24 hours I decided I disagreed with myself and elected not to publish it here. Instead, I am including the remarks I made Sunday in response to the events that unfolded at the capitol building last Wednesday.

A Few Remarks Prepared in Response to 1-6-21

1-10-21

Jeremiah 6:13-15

“There Is No Peace” 

I was reminded this week that Stanley Hauwerwas said, “Protestants set out to make America Christian and instead they made Christianity American.”  

The worst of that truth was on display Wendesday when seditionists carried confederate flags in one hand and “Jesus Saves” signs in the other, while breaking federal laws and calling for the murder of Vice President Mike Pence for failing to do something he is not empowered to do. 

Let me name something that I have always tried to wear.  To Carry.  To honor in this position.  That is the reality both that the gospel transcends political landscapes so as not become a bedfellow with a particular party, but rather critique them (because you will never find a platform that squares entirely with the Kingdom of God). 

And Also 

That the gospel is inescapably political.  That because the kingdom of God begins with the reality that humans bear the divine image of God, the gospel’s very existence is a critique of principalities and powers. 

So here’s the rub.  It is very easy for me to speak candidly with you individually about that tension and at times I show my cards.  In the worship moment … with the gift I have been given in the pulpit, I have always tried to be measured.  To speak out against this president when he demeaned women, when he enacted an immigration policy that was inhumane, when he belittled human dignity both through policy and word, when he implicitly and sometimes explicitly championed white supremacy and when he devalued entire nations through polemical speech. 

What happened Wednesday was horrible.  There is no other way to say that.  And it was horrible, among other reasons, because the individual who has the most power in the world right now encouraged what happened.  And what’s more, took measured to make sure it would happen. 

That truth is particularly terrifying and we likely have not seen the last of this kind of terror.  

So what do I do here? 

If the senate vote is indicative of anything, perhaps a silver lining would be that the public condemnation of what happened is near universal … (that’s probably overstated), but at least when cooler heads prevailed that seemed to be the acceptable social opinion. 

Still something lingers in the speech and thought that the church must confront and that is what I want to use this moment for.  

As I was writing this this morning I got a text from a friend Mark that included a graphic titled “Purple Church Post-Insurrection Sermon Bingo.”  In the spirit of jest, the card lists words like: quote from MLK, one thing we can all agree on …, both sides, civility, quote from Lincoln, & Mr. Rogers (we’ll add some nuance there).  

When I spoke the Sunday after George Floyd was murdered I called the riots imprecatory riots and read Psalm 137.  My point was that the bible made room for and anticipates that kind of emotion.   The gift of the Bible is that it gives us a range to express human emotion – and to do worship well and properly, we must move through all those emptions.  So today, in order to rebuke the calls for peace without justice and the movements to say “it’s okay” without it actually being okay – I want to read a few verses from Jeremiah 6.  

13“From the least to the greatest,
    all are greedy for gain;
prophets and priests alike,
    all practice deceit.
14 They dress the wound of my people
    as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
    when there is no peace.
15 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
    No, they have no shame at all;
    they do not even know how to blush.
So they will fall among the fallen;
    they will be brought down when I punish them,”
says the Lord.

 Meet the UBC(ers)

The Parkers

HR Team Member

The HR team is looking for someone to serve on the team. This is a volunteer position. The purpose and qualifications are listed below. If you are someone you know has an interesting please email josh@ubcwaco.org.

(A)Purpose.  The Human Resources/Staff Support Team shall exist for the following purposes:

a.     To establish procedures for the hiring of ministerial and non-ministerial staff, and to enact those procedures when advised by Leadership Team to do so.

b.    To advise Leadership and Finance teams on issues regarding long-term staff needs. 

c.     To create and implement staff review procedures.

d.    To advise Leadership and Finance teams on matters regarding staff compensation, benefits, grievances and termination.

e.    To be a liaison between the congregation and staff during times of conflict after all attempts at personal, one-on-one resolution has been made.  

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

Parishioner of the Week

Jen & Paul Carron for a dynamite Christmas Eve worship performance.

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

Luci Hoppe: lhoppe@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. 

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

Liturgy Stuff 1-10-2021

January 10, 2021

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on January 10th (in the order they are needed).

Be Thou My Vision

be thou my vision, o lord of my heart
naught be all else to me, save that thou art
thou my best thought, by day or by night
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light

be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word
I ever with thee and thou with me, lord
thou my great father, spirit, and son
thou in me dwelling and I with thee one

riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise
thou mine inheritance, now and always
thou and thou only, first in my heart
high king of heaven, my treasure thou art

high king of heaven, my victory won
may I reach heaven’s joys, o bright heaven’s sun
heart of my own heart, whatever befall
still be my vision, o ruler of all

Call to Worship

we have gathered to worship
the Living God

the Breath of Life
exhaled in time
in whom we have our being

to enter the story of God

and find our own stories reimagined

inviting the Spirit of God to form us more fully in the way of Christ

that we might bear the Light of the world
in our hearts and minds; the love of Christ
in our ordinary lives

Amen

Come Healing

o gather up the brokenness and bring it to me now
the fragrance of those promises you never dared to vow
the splinters that you carry, the cross you left behind
come healing of the body, come healing of the mind
and let the heavens heart it, the penitential hymn
come healing of the spirit, come healing of the limb

behold the gates of mercy in arbitrary space
and none of us deserving the cruelty or the grace
o solitude of longing where love has been confined
come healing of the body, come healing of the mind
and see the darkness yielding which tore the light apart
come healing of the reason, come healing of the heart

o troubled dust concealing an undivided love
the heart beneath is teaching to the broken heart above
let the heavens falter, let the earth proclaim
come healing of the altar, come healing of the name

o longing of the branches to lift the little bud
o longing of the arteries to purify the blood
let the heavens hear it, the penitential hymn
come healing of the spirit, come healing of the limb

Kyrie Eleison

kyrie eleison
what, lord,
what have we done?
kyrie eleison
o lord, with mercy, come

kyrie eleison
behold
what we’ve wrought
in our weeping
and gnashing teeth
o Kyrie, be not
beyond our reach
and turn not
your ear from
our pleas
but, lord,
have mercy

Old Testament Reading

Today’s Old Testament reading is Genesis 1:1-5:

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

New Testament Reading

Today’s New Testament reading is Mark 1:4-11:

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Giving

UBC relies on the generosity of the community. If you are a in place that you are able to give of your time, talent, and resources to UBC we would be grateful. If you want to make a financial contribution, the easiest way to do so is through our church center app.

Pulse

there’s a secret pulse hidden in
the fabric of creation
and the story of every creature is:
bone from dust, gift from Gift

reconnect our hearts
to that pulse you hid
resurrect the peace
we’ve unlearned
and in the wreckage of
our selective loves
build a tow’r that can’t be hid’n

there’s a remedy for the ache
that plagues us all in waves
and the cure for our other-scorning rage
is break my bread: i’ll break your shame
reconnect our hearts to that pulse you hid
resurrect the peace we’ve unlearned
and in the wreckage of our selective loves
build a tow’r and lock us in

until we find there’s only one kind of love that won’t break
more than blind, more than selfless in name, it’s open arms either way
because there’s a pulse at the heart of all things that gives life all the same
and a design to the rhythm we breathe: Holy Name//give and take

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

Liturgy Stuff 1-03-2021

January 3, 2021

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on January 3rd (in the order they are needed).

I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day (w/ Colton Towns)

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
    And wild and sweet
    The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men !

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day
    A voice, a chime,
    A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men ! 

And in despair I bowed my head ; 
"There is no peace on earth," I said ; 
    "For hate is strong
    And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men !" 

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: 
"God is not dead ; and does not sleep
    The Wrong shall fail,
    The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men !"

Call to Worship

we have gathered to worship
the Living God

the One who draws near to the brokenhearted
who shelters those who have worn thin

to enter the story of God

and find our own stories reimagined

inviting the Spirit of God to form us more fully in the way of Christ

that our hearts and minds might be transformed
by the wisdom of the Eternal One
and our ordinary lives might be drawn
into the work of God in the world

Amen

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 and explain
would they be drowned out
with you redemption parade
and as the forests clap their hands
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 all 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

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

well, 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, we’ll be there

Old Testament Reading

Today’s Old Testament reading is Jeremiah 31:7-14:

Thus says the Lord:

Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; 

proclaim, give praise, and say,
"Save, O Lord, your people, 
the remnant of Israel." 

See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,
and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, 

among them the blind and the lame, those with child and
those in labor, together; 
a great company, they shall return here. 

With weeping they shall come,
and with consolations I will lead them back, 

I will let them walk by brooks of water,
in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; 

for I have become a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
and declare it in the coastlands far away; 

say, "He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and will keep him as a shepherd a flock." 

For the Lord has ransomed Jacob,
and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.

They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, 

over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and over the young of the flock and the herd; 

their life shall become like a watered garden,
and they shall never languish again. 

Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry. 

I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. 

I will give the priests their fill of fatness,
and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, 

says the Lord.

New Testament Reading

Today’s New Testament reading is Luke 2:41-52:

The parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem every year for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Giving

UBC relies on the generosity of the community. If you are a in place that you are able to give of your time, talent, and resources to UBC we would be grateful. If you want to make a financial contribution, the easiest way to do so is through our church center app.

Wayward Ones

we are the wayward ones
liars and beggars, those who betray
we hand you over, deny your name
cast you aside, yet still you say
this is my body, this is my blood
broken and shed to show my love

we are the broken ones
cowards and fools, all filled with disbelief
we forsake you, deny your name
cast you aside yet still you say
this is my body, this is my blood
broken and shed to show my love

remember me, remember me
come to the table, take and eat
remember me

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

Liturgy Stuff 12-27-20

December 27, 2020

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on December 27th (in the order they are needed).

O Come, All Ye Faithful

o come all ye faithful
joyful and triumphant
o come ye, o come ye to bethlehem
come and behold him
born the king of angels

o come, let us adore him
o come, let us adore him
o come, let us adore him
christ the lord

O Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all ye citizens of Heaven above.
Glory to God
glory in the Highest;

o come, let us adore him
o come, let us adore him
o come, let us adore him
christ the lord

Ye, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesus to thee be all glory given
Word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing;

o come, let us adore him
o come, let us adore him
o come, let us adore him
christ the lord

Call to Worship

we have gathered to worship
the Eternal One

the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us

to enter the story of God

and find our own stories reimagined

inviting the Spirit of God to form us more fully in the way of Christ

setting our feet on the way of peace;
weaving joy into our hearts and minds
that we might bear the hope of Christ
and love of God in our ordinary lives

Amen

Joy to the World (w/ Ben Simmons)

Joy to the world, The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing

Joy to the world, The Savior reigns

Let men their songs employ

While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
Far as the curse is found

Far as the curse is found

Far as, far as the curse is found

O Holy Night (w/ Kat Reynolds)

O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appears and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is Peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name, all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us Praise His Holy name
Christ is the Lord; with never ending praise we
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim

Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!

The First Noel (w/ Nathanael Mosher)

The first Noel the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
on a cold winter's night that was so deep.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star
shining in the east, beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.

This star drew nigh to the northwest,
o'er Bethlehem it took its rest;
and there it did both stop and stay,
right over the place where Jesus lay.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.

Old Testament Reading

Today’s Old Testament reading is Psalm 147:

Praise the Lord!
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
    for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted,
    and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
    he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
    his understanding is beyond measure.
The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;
    he casts the wicked to the ground.

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
    make melody to our God on the lyre.
He covers the heavens with clouds,
    prepares rain for the earth,
    makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the animals their food,
    and to the young ravens when they cry.
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
    in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
    he blesses your children within you.
He grants peace within your borders;
    he fills you with the finest of wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down hail like crumbs—
    who can stand before his cold?
He sends out his word, and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,
    his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord!

New Testament Reading

Today’s New Testament reading is John 1:1-18:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

Giving

UBC relies on the generosity of the community. If you are a in place that you are able to give of your time, talent, and resources to UBC we would be grateful. If you want to make a financial contribution, the easiest way to do so is through our church center app.

Prayer of Examen

You can find a written version of the Prayer of Examen here if you want to return to this later.

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

Prayer of Examen

The Prayer of Examen is a daily prayer model from Ignatian spirituality.  The idea is to take a moment at the end of each day to meditate on the slice of life you’ve just lived—to take time to notice that which otherwise might slip you by.  Here we are turning our attention toward the entire previous year, but you can adapt the reflections to suit whatever chunk of time you are considering.  Bear in mind that the whole of this exercise is prayer, not just the bits in italics. 

Breathing

Take several deep breaths slowly.

Notice the way your chest expands.

Seek to notice the presence of God among you.

Thanksgiving

Where did you find love and support?

Where did you find or behold courage?

What small gifts crossed your path?

Living God, for these things we give thanks.

Petition

As we turn our attention to a more thorough review of the year, take a moment and ask that God would shed light upon this time as you revisit it.

Review

Where has joy encountered you?

What has troubled you? What are you grieving?

What has challenged you?

Where have you noticed God’s presence? Where has God seemed absent?

Response

Living God, we ask that you would hold our joy and our pain with us, that you would hear our cries of mourning, and that we would be held in the warmth of your love.

A Look Ahead

What will we carry with us from this year?

What will we leave behind?

With what spirit will we enter next year?

Closing

Our father, who art in heaven
hallowed be thy name
thy kingdom come
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven
give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our debts
as we forgive our debtors
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil
for thine is the kingdom 
the power and the glory, forever
amen.

—

If you’d like the slides that we included in the 12/27 liturgy to accompany the Examen, you can find those here.

Liturgy for Christmas Eve 12-24-2020

December 24, 2020

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for our Drive-In service at UBC at 6pm, on the 24th.

Call To Worship

The people who once lived in darkness have been given a great light!
Praise be to God who has heard our cries.
Our souls sing out God’s praise!
God has brought us a light of Hope and Peace.
Tonight, in this place, the Light of God’s Love is given to us!
|And we shall see that light and let it shine through our lives. 
AMEN.

Luke 2:1-5

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, o Israel.

O come, oh bright and morning star and bring us comfort from afar dispel the shadows of the night and turn our darkness into light Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, o Israel. 

O come, thou day-spring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here disburse the gloomy clouds of night and death's dark shadows put to flight Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, o Israel.

Luke 2:6-12

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Away in a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay, The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there.

Luke 2:13-20

 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Joy to the World

Joy to the world, the Lord is come Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

Joy to the world! The Saviour reigns.
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Matthew 2:1-2,9-12

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

O Holy Night

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
‘Til He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees!
O hear the angel voices!
O night divine,
O night when Christ was born
O night divine,
O night, O night Divine.

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord!
O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory
evermore proclaim.
His power and glory
evermore proclaim.

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Lighting of the Candles

Silent Night

Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
round yon Virgin Mother and Child,
Holy infant so tender and mild,
sleep in Heavenly peace!
sleep in Heavenly peace!

Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
glories stream from Heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia
Christ, the Saviour, is born!
Christ, the Saviour, is born!

Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, Love’s pure light
radiant, beams from Thy Holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.

Benediciton

May the peace of God hold you
May the grace of God guide you
And may the Love of God inspire you.
Amen.

ITLOTC 12-22-20

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church)

Advent

Einstein & Christman: Space-Time Yuletide Problems Explained by Four Cinematic Moments By Josh

Christmas is about Jesus becoming human.  It’s my favorite holiday, theologically and otherwise.  I know i’m supposed to prioritize Easter as a Christian, but there’s a motif of salvation inaugurated by Christmas and I find it just as important as Easter.  But that’s another blog.  

Here’s what I would like to talk about today.  The big-deal-ness of Jesus becoming human. 

Here’s how I'm getting there this year.  I have a fantasy that I’m Marty McFly.  Mostly I want access to the DeLorean.  Mostly I want to time travel.  Mostly I want to time travel and have the sports almanac.  Someone called me out on this in the comments on Facebook on a Sunday morning when Taylor posed the, “which super power would you want?” question. I said I wanted to time travel and bet the stock market.  This person was correct.  The Biff Tannen legacy is one I’d like to live into minus the maniacal dictator part. 

OK, but there’s a problem.  It’s called the butterfly effect.  Here’s a definition from wikipedia: In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.  But if that doesn’t make sense then go watch the movie with Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, and that guy from Remember the Titans. Every time Ashton Kutcher goes back in time to change something in the past to fix it, that change inaugurates a series of other changes that Kutcher didn’t want and in the case of the movie, always seem to be worse. 

Ok, but we have a solution.  Have you ever seen About Time? About Time anticipates my gravest concern with time travel.  Because again if I could, I would go back in time with my sports almanac (probably also go to UW-Madison and major in English).  But the one thing I would want to be absolutely the same is my wife and kids.  But the butterfly effect right?  I’d probably lose my kids in the process.  Not worth it.  So About Time adds this nuance.  Time travelers stop traveling to moments in history prior to the conception of their children for fear of losing them.  This makes for a really interesting existential problem.  The reason to time travel (in this movie) is to go see deceased loved ones.  But what happens when a loved one dies before the conception of prodigy?  Awww, this makes for a tender and painful moment of goodbye in the movie.  A second death if you will. 

Now for more complications.  What if we could put the power of reaching into the past and future in our hands in a different way?  Enter DEVS, one of the most interesting shows I watched in 2020.  Spoiler alerts ahead.  The DEVS lab, housed in a Faraday Cage, is a complex computer that attempts to exhaustively calculate every past and future particle movement in the history of the universe so that a computer program can simulate every moment in history and project every moment of the future.  We’ll leave your questions about determinism and causality aside for now.  About halfway through the series we learn that the DEVS owner (Forest) lost his child in a car accident.  His ambition is to perfectly recreate and simulate the existence of his child so that he can presumably be uploaded into that world upon his own death.  We’ll leave your questions about mapping the human brain and uploading it onto software 

Now for this to get a bit complex.  In one of the episodes  Lyndon (a DEVS employee) develops a new algorithm based on the many-worlds interpretation—rather than the deterministic De Broglie–Bohm theory favored by Forest—that enables clear sound to be heard on the Devs projections. Forest rejects Lyndon's work believing that hearing sound from a multiverse undermines the project. Then Forest delivers a salient line about the rejection of the multiverse solution.  He quips sharply that if Amaya (his daughter) has one less hair on her head, then it’s not his daughter.  

That is the complexity of humanity isn’t it?  We are … our souls are, exactly who our bodies are.  Nothing more or less.  Let me make this concrete.  I would like to be 6’ 3”, look like Brad Pitt, have Usain Bolt’s speed, and Aaron Rodger’s football ability.  I’m open to the notion that the platonic soul is independent of the body (though i’d have a long line of Christian philosophers who’d disagree with me), but it seems to be me that our bodied selves, which help form those souls, are inescapably shaped by our existence in these bodies.  So, Forest is right.  In a world where the butterfly effect is real, his daughter Amaya, with one less hair on her head is a different person.  And a me that looks like Brad Pitt and runs like Usain Bolt is certainly a different person who would engender a near infinite set of different experiences which would result in a much different Josh.  

So Christmas.  If you’re like me and have these occasional Faustian desires to manipulate your existence through time travel or a DEVS simulation so that you could be your ideal self, i’m here to tell you that you would lose yourself (thank you Eminem).  Christmas is about incarnation.  Christmas is God’s exclamation point on creation.  Christmas is God blessing the enfleshed and taking up residence with us as we are.  Christmas is the commitment to a better world not through what could have been, but through what will be.  Christmas is an invitation for you to accept you as you are.  Because God already did in a manger 2000 years ago.  

Meet the UBCers

In a recent leadership team meeting, it was shared with staff that one of the delightful part of having scripture readers outsourced is getting see some of the folks who call UBC home. To that end I’d like to introduce a new UBC newsletter item called “meet the UBCer(s)” where I, Josh, interview UBCers in 5-10 minute interviews for you to learn about them. Enjoy the … Canns

Christmas Eve Service

UBC will have a parking lot Christmas Eve service on December 24th at 6:00 P.M. If you plan on attending this service please know that the building (read bathrooms) will not be open. To that end, we can say that the liturgy will likely be 20-30 minutes. We hope you can make it and would love the chance to worship with you through windshields. Also, we will not be distributing candles, but are encouraging parishioners to bring a device that can illumine: perhaps a candle, the light on your cell phone, whatever you feel comfortable with, for the singing of silent night at the conclusion of the service.

Advent Candle Liturgy

Each week we’ll be posting a candle lighting liturgy for Advent.  You can read through this alone, with friends via zoom, or, if you have an in-tact bubble of people you’ve been seeing throughout lockdown, together (hopefully practicing 2 of these 3: outside/masked/distanced). If you want to order some advent candles, that’s great.  If you have some random candles, that’s great.  If you just have matches or a lighter, that’s great too.  And if you have none of those things, but have an imagination, behold, your candle.  You can find the Love liturgy here.

HR Team Member

The HR team is looking for someone to serve on the team. The purpose and qualifications are listed below. If you are someone you know has an interesting please email josh@ubcwaco.org.

(A)Purpose.  The Human Resources/Staff Support Team shall exist for the following purposes:

a.     To establish procedures for the hiring of ministerial and non-ministerial staff, and to enact those procedures when advised by Leadership Team to do so.

b.    To advise Leadership and Finance teams on issues regarding long-term staff needs. 

c.     To create and implement staff review procedures.

d.    To advise Leadership and Finance teams on matters regarding staff compensation, benefits, grievances and termination.

e.    To be a liaison between the congregation and staff during times of conflict after all attempts at personal, one-on-one resolution has been made.  

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

ITLOTC Break

ITLOTC will be taking a two week break. Our last newsletter for the 2020 year will be sent on December 22nd. On the 29th and on January 5 there will be no newsletter. For the most up to date information from UBC please visit this blog, check facebook, or follow us on twitter &/or instagram.

Parishioner of the Week

Rosemary Watson for getting engaged and being a champion.

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

Luci Hoppe: lhoppe@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. 

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

Liturgy Stuff 12-20-2020

December 20, 2020

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on December 20th (in the order they are needed).

Look to the Hills

I lift my eyes to the hills
to remind myself this isn’t all there is
I lift my eyes to the hills
and wait for help to appear
my help is from the lord
who breaks past walls and fortress doors
my shade in sun and shield from sword
yes, my help is from the lord

so I look to the hills
and I know the score:
the mountains fall
and shadows, they soar
and every rough line
is impeccably placed
as valleys rise
forgetting their place
I look to the hills
and I know what i’m for
and know my help is going before
going before

Call to Worship

we have gathered to worship
the Eternal One

the one who has scattered the proud,
brought down the mighty,
and lifted up the lowly;

to enter the story of God

and find our own stories reimagined

that the Spirit of God might write love on our hearts

until it spreads from our hearts to our minds
and from our minds to our hands and feet
that it might pervade our ordinary lives

Amen

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

o love that will not let me go
i rest my weary soul in thee
i give you back the life i owe
that in thine ocean depths its flow
may richer fuller be

o light that follows all my ways
i yield my flickering torch to thee
my heart restores its borrowed ray
that in thy sunshine’s blaze it day
may brighter fairer be

o joy that seeks me through the pain
i cannot close my heart to thee
i’ll trace the rainbow through the rain
and feel the promise is not in vain
that morn shall tearless be

o love, don’t let go of me
o light, hold my flickering
o joy, don’t lose sight of me
o love, don’t let go of me

o cross that’s lifting up my head
i dare not ask to fly from thee
though i lay in dust, life’s glory dead
from the ground there blossoms red
life that shall endless be

endlessly
endless be
endlessly

Old Testament Reading

Today’s Old Testament reading is Psalm 89:1-4; 19-26:

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
    with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
    your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
    I have sworn to my servant David:
‘I will establish your descendants forever,
    and build your throne for all generations.’”

Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said:

“I have set the crown on one who is mighty,
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
I have found my servant David;
with my holy oil I have anointed him;
my hand shall always remain with him;
my arm also shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not outwit him,
the wicked shall not humble him.
I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.
My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;
and in my name his horn shall be exalted.
I will set his hand on the sea
and his right hand on the rivers.
He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’

New Testament Reading

Today’s New Testament reading, and Lilly’s sermon text is Luke 1:30-38; 46-55:

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
    Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
    and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Giving

UBC relies on the generosity of the community. If you are a in place that you are able to give of your time, talent, and resources to UBC we would be grateful. If you want to make a financial contribution, the easiest way to do so is through our church center app.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

o come, o come, emmanuel
and ranson captive israel
who mourns in lonely exile here
until the son of god appears

rejoice, rejoice
Emmanuel
shall come to thee
o israel

o come thou dayspring
come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here
disperse the gloomy clouds of night
and death’s dark shadow put to flight

rejoice, rejoice
Emmanuel
shall come to thee
o israel

o come desire of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all human kind
bid thou our sad divisions cease
and be thyself our king of peace

rejoice, rejoice
Emmanuel
shall come to thee
o israel

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

Lighting the Love Candle

On this final Sunday of Advent, we are setting our hearts toward love. A consensus around the definition of “love” may be difficult to come by, but the Story we share in this community offers us not a definition, but a Person named Immanuel, God-With-Us.  In Immanuel we find the Eternal One entering into our frailty and uncertainty and regarding us as God sees us: beloved.

•Reflect on moments you have experienced glimmers of the love of God, whether in matters of circumstance or through your neighbor.

•Reflect on moments where you may have been an agent of love in the way you have offered attention or concern to your neighbors.

•Take a moment to wonder how you might lean into the Love around you, both in your awareness of acts of Love and in your own loving of God, your neighbor, and your self.

In the midst of these thin, gloomy days, a Light is coming; in spite of all of the complexity of sin, uncertainty, human failure, and injustice, God is choosing to be God with us, Immanuel.  Looking toward this moment of brilliance, we light the fourth candle.

[Light Love Candle]  

Hear now a word of the migrant love of God in 2 Samuel:

Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.”

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.

Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.

Lighting the Joy Candle

Here in the midst of the darkest days of the year, our Advent journey invites us to grasp for Joy; to embrace the truth that reality precedes and reaches beyond the present darkness.  The joy of Advent is both a way of seeing where we stubbornly refuse to call the way things are “the way things will always be,” and a cultivation of attention to notice the inbreaking of that which is as it should be in our ordinary lives.

•Reflect on moments where joy has broken into your life—perhaps in noticeable bursts of happiness, or perhaps rather simply in moments where things seemed surprisingly as they should be.

•Reflect on moments you have shared joy with others—who have been agents of joy in your life?  How might you be an agent of joy in the lives of your neighbors?

•Take a moment to linger on these memories with gratitude.  As you do so, cultivate an openness or awareness in yourself for the inbreakings of Joy that we so often miss in our daily lives.

In the midst of great difficulty, the glimmers of God’s reconciling all things to Godself are breaking through.  It is for this joy that we light this candle.

[Light Joy Candle]

Hear now the Good News of Isaiah 61:

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
   because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
    to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;
to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
They shall build up the ancient ruins,
    they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
    the devastations of many generations.
For I the Lord love justice,
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants shall be known among the nations,
    and their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge
    that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
    my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
    he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
    and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
    to spring up before all the nations.

ITLOTC 12-15-20

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church)

Advent

Park Bench Jesus by Josh

At the conclusion of the church calendar year, I preached about Matthew 25’s sheeps and goats.  In case you are not familiar with that parable, Jesus develops some criteria to distinguish between sheep (good guys) and goats (bad guys).  The criteria is how you treat the poor, naked, thirsty, hungry and imprisoned, which we collectively call the least of these.  Wait there’s more.  Jesus ups the ante.  It turns out that what you do to the least of these you do to Jesus.  To give this claim by Jesus some grit, I cited the work of sculptor Timothy Schmalz who gave us Homeless Jesus, a sculpture of homeless Jesus covered in a blanket with his naked crucified feet sticking out at the end on a park bench.  

For some reason that image sank its teeth in me.  It’s been with me all of advent.  Everytime I see a least of these, I think of that image and Jesus whispers, “there is me.”  I hate when he does that.  

This has sent me on a journey of reflecting on my attitude towards the poor.  Full disclosure, I land somewhere between Ebineezer Scrooge before his conversion and Scrooge McDuck in my attitude towards the least of these.  It’s not that I’m greedy for greedy’s sake or that I love money.  Nay, my enneagram subtype is security.  It’s that I want to feel safe and money makes me feel safe.  Said differently, if I get extra cash, I don’t dream about what I can spend it on, I revel in the possibility that my savings account will grow.  

Back to park bench Jesus and his affection for the least of these.  I don’t participate in every UBC opportunity to help with the community, but I do participate in some of them.  Most recently I did the buy the products and gift card for the Waco Family Holiday Food Pantry.  As I was shopping I was listening to the Jim Cramer on my shoulder that told me to be sensible about the products I was buying.  For example, I found a $5 off coupon that, when purchasing several of the products on my list together, earned me a discount.  So I narrowed my choices accordingly.   Then I got to products where I reasoned the consumer could care less about the brand of the product.  A prime example would be bleach.  Bleach is bleach, right?  Some items, like deodorant, I let my ego have a vote and selected Old Spices “swagger” because I thought it would be nice for the person to smell like me.  As I was downgrading my selections I thought about park bench Jesus.  What kind of products would purchase for Jesus.  I have to admit it refocused my approach.  

Then I began thinking about an article I read in Stanley Hauwerwas’s book The Work of Theology entitled, “How to ‘Remember the Poor.’”  It feels daunting to try and summarize the article, so I won’t, but suffice to say after offering a brief survey of the church’s relationship with the least of these and disavowing false dichotomy of being a church about the worship of God or a church concerned with social justice, Hauwerwas, following others cited in the article, argues that we only properly love God through justice infused worship.  Part of the justice filled worship is the acts of moral imagination that the church participates in.  Here I’ll quote Hauwerwas at length: 

“‘World’ names the impatience with the poor for their inability to imagine not being poor.  The world does not have time to be with the poor, to learn with the poor, to listen to the poor.  To listen to the poor is an exercise of great discipline, but such listening surely is what is required if charity is not to become a hatred of the poor for being poor.  We must listen to the stories the poor have to tell because only by listening to such stories do we have the means to know how to go on.” 

So as I was shopping I began to think about my least of these family.  I wondered what circumstances had brought them to the food pantry.  I imagined they were like me; one bad business deal or one unthoughtful tweet the only difference between us.   I imagined that they were earnest in their wanting to care for their children.  I imagined their constant anxiety for having to depend on things like the food pantry to make Christmas work.  I imagined them putting back the expensive shampoo to get the cheap shampoo so they could buy their kids a barbie doll and a truck.  Then I put back the cheap shampoo and got the nice shampoo because I remembered that, that one lady put the really good perfume on Jesus’ feet.  Then I remembered Jesus’ feet sticking out on the park bench.  Then I remembered that I was buying shampoo for Jesus.  Then I remembered I was in a sanctuary right there in the cosmetic aisle at HEB and that Jesus was the recipient of my worship. 

Meet the UBCers

In a recent leadership team meeting, it was shared with staff that one of the delightful part of having scripture readers outsourced is getting see some of the folks who call UBC home. To that end I’d like to introduce a new UBC newsletter item called “meet the UBCer(s)” where I, Josh, interview UBCers in 5-10 minute interviews for you to learn about them. Enjoy the … Larimores

Christmas Movie Quiz

How many Christmas movies can you find? Only 5% of the population can find some of them?

Christmas Eve Service

UBC will have a parking lot Christmas Eve service on December 24th at 6:00 P.M. If you plan on attending this service please know that the building (read bathrooms) will not be open. To that end, we can say that the liturgy will likely be 20-30 minutes. We hope you can make it and would love the chance to worship with you through windshields. Also, we will not be distributing candles, but are encouraging parishioners to bring a device that can illumine: perhaps a candle, the light on your cell phone, whatever you feel comfortable with, for the singing of silent night at the conclusion of the service.

HR Team Member

The HR team is looking for someone to serve on the team. The purpose and qualifications are listed below. If you are someone you know has an interesting please email josh@ubcwaco.org.

(A)Purpose.  The Human Resources/Staff Support Team shall exist for the following purposes:

a.     To establish procedures for the hiring of ministerial and non-ministerial staff, and to enact those procedures when advised by Leadership Team to do so.

b.    To advise Leadership and Finance teams on issues regarding long-term staff needs. 

c.     To create and implement staff review procedures.

d.    To advise Leadership and Finance teams on matters regarding staff compensation, benefits, grievances and termination.

e.    To be a liaison between the congregation and staff during times of conflict after all attempts at personal, one-on-one resolution has been made.  

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

ITLOTC Break

ITLOTC will be taking a two week break. Our last newsletter for the 2020 year will be sent on December 22nd. On the 29th and on January 5 there will be no newsletter. For the most up to date information from UBC please visit this blog, check facebook, or follow us on twitter &/or instagram.

Parishioner of the Week

Dr. Jessica Smith for completing her PhD in higher education.

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

Luci Hoppe: lhoppe@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. 

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

Liturgy Stuff 12-13-2020

December 13, 2020

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on December 13th (in the order they are needed).

Brightest

o come, o come, emmanuel
and ranson captive israel
who mourns in lonely exile here
until the son of god appears

rejoice, rejoice
Emmanuel
shall come to thee
o israel

o come thou dayspring
come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here
disperse the gloomy clouds of night
and death’s dark shadow put to flight

rejoice, rejoice
Emmanuel
shall come to thee
o israel

o come desire of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all human kind
bid thou our sad divisions cease
and be thyself our king of peace

rejoice, rejoice
Emmanuel
shall come to thee
o israel

Call to Worship

we have gathered to worship
the Eternal One

the One who brings good news
to the oppressed and broken-hearted
of the world

to enter the story of God

and find our own stories reimagined

that the Spirit of God might infuse our hearts and minds with joy

transforming the way we relate to our neighbors
and setting us among the realm of what-could-be

Amen

Brightest

is this fear or joy, and what is the difference?
there’s a change coming on the wind
my god, it’s electric
and the skin on the back of my neck is needles and stitches
like there’s a new light among the stars
just out of my vision

what joy could come from darkness
and not destroy the place we’ve made
like if the candle we called brightest
suddenly fell in the hay

is this love or death, and what is the difference?
there’s a change coming to the scales
my god, it’s infectious
and the veins on the back of my eyes
are straining and pulsing
like there’s a new light among the stars
that I can’t behold yet

what joy could come from darkness
and not destroy the place we’ve made
like if the candle we called brightest
suddenly fell in the hay

this is the moment where everything changes
and all of our fears find the peace they’ve been chasing
and all of our comforts shatter like mirrors
caught in a light like has never been seen here
and the mountains, they crumble
chasms, they shade them
and all of our answers grow into questions
when the feeble like lions are freed from their cages
and the mighty are pulled from the places they’re saving
this is joy

Where God Has Always Been

praise be the Lord of all with their backs against the wall
hands above their heads, and eyes lifted up
to that impossible line where the hill meets the sky
who wonder if the distance is at trick
of the earth, or a trick of the mind
and if help will arrive
before they slip away

praise be the Lord of all who wrestle until dawn
who wear their scars like names
yet find heaven and earth strangely aligned
like water in the sour wine:
hidden in plain sight

for God is now where God has always been:
bunkered down with those in the ditch
raising fountains from the cracking dirt
and raising a feast for the hollow, unheard
while the powerful who reign dissolve into the grave
the Eternal one will shade the ones they cast away
’til the coming of the day when all this is remade

so praise be the Lord of all who’ve nowhere to belong
for the Kingdom is drawing near

Old Testament Reading

Today’s Old Testament reading, and Josh’s sermon text, is 2 Samuel 11:

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

It happened, late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported, “This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself after her period.) Then she returned to her house. The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the people fared, and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “You have just come from a journey. Why did you not go down to your house?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah remain in booths; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field; shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing.” Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day. On the next day, David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die.” As Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant warriors. The men of the city came out and fought with Joab; and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite was killed as well. Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting; and he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling the king all the news about the fighting, then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who killed Abimelech son of Jerubbaal? Did not a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too.’”

So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us, and came out against us in the field; but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall; some of the king’s servants are dead; and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter trouble you, for the sword devours now one and now another; press your attack on the city, and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.”

When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him. When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son.

But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord,

New Testament Reading

Today’s New Testament reading is Matthew 1:1-6:

An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah…

Giving

UBC relies on the generosity of the community. If you are a in place that you are able to give of your time, talent, and resources to UBC we would be grateful. If you want to make a financial contribution, the easiest way to do so is through our church center app.

What the Dry Years Took Away

eternal, uncreated
who traced the frame
before there was a frame
and never did forget it
though the shape
was mired along the way
would you now yet speak it?
reassert the vision of the Name
write it on our longing
like a pillar of fire and cloud, the same

with urgency and grace
would you restore
what the dry years took away?

o god of life, may your mercy shine
upon the painted world
with power benign
and raise our hearts to sing
like the moon-pull to the tide
’til every riven thing
is found whole yet in plain sight

out here in the distance
among the fences
we build around our dreams
there’s a numbing of the senses
abject indifference
and ubiquitous fatigue
would you now yet speak it
holy beacon
the vision of the Name
write it on our longing
like a pillar of fire and cloud, the same

with urgency and grace
would you restore
what the dry years took away?

o god of life, may your mercy shine
upon the painted world
with power benign
and raise our hearts to sing
like the moon-pull to the tide
’til every riven thing
is found whole yet in plain sight

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

ITLOTC 12-8-20

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church)

Advent

Lessons in Philippians (by Kieran)

Happy Tuesday UBC! Kieran here. Today I thought I’d try something a little different - most of you only tend to hear from me on the odd occasion via the Newsletter, but of course, my main capacity in UBC is as co-youth pastor! 

So, I thought I’d share my most recent notes from Philippians 4 with you all, which I shared with the High Schoolers this last Sunday. So, if you’re a youth reading this, I’m sorry you’ve already hear this; but also if you’re a youth reading this, hey, kudos for reading the newsletter! 

I won’t lie, this is partly motivated by the fact that this has been a monster of a few weeks - some of you may know I have a second job at Target, and as you can imagine, the holiday rush has been crazy and incredibly exhausting! As such, I haven’t really had the time I’d like to come up with something new for the newsletter. But that said, I thought this would be a two-birds-one-stone kind of deal - you all still get some newsletter content that isn’t my addled brain pulling at strings, and you also get a window into the kinds of things we talk about during youth group! I often write my evenings in a verbatim way, and then vamp as needed in person, but hopefully it’s still enjoyable to read! 

(Note, I’ve also taken out the discussion questions and group conversation parts for ease of reading, as obviously, we can’t really do that in the newsletter!) 

So, without further ado; here we go! 

So today, we’re in the last part of Philippians! To keep things manageable, I’ll pull a few verses out to talk about. Let’s read Philippians 4:4-9:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known  to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by  prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to  God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your  hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever  is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence  and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 Keep on doing  the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the  God of peace will be with you.

Paul is saying goodbye - when you write letters, essays, what do you put at the end? Conclusions, things you want people to remember, a call to focus on what’s important etc.

That’s what we have here. Paul has some thanks, some last thoughts of wisdom, and most importantly, his thesis. He’s talked about humility, community, pressing towards Christ. 

Now, he has three final things for them, a reminder that sums up the letter:

+ Rejoice, always;

+ Don’t worry, but talk to God; 

+ Dwell on things that are worth dwelling on. 

We’re going to unpack those things, especially as some, like the worry one, there’s a lot more to say than just “don’t worry”. 

Okay then, first - Rejoicing. 

Read 4-5: 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to  everyone. The Lord is near. 

Disclaimer about most of these verses - I don’t think that Paul is saying that in order to do one thing, you have to not do another. Case in point here - he’s trying to be encouraging in this letter, and I don’t think that Rejoicing in the Lord Always means that we can’t also be sad when we need to be, or angry, etc. 

These verses don’t just mean “become a robot who only ever feels joy”, because inevitably, we just can’t do that. I think that there’s a significant point to make here about how Paul phrases this - he doesn’t say, “feel happy about the Lord always”. 

He says “rejoice”, as in, the verb, the action. We can’t always control our feelings, if  ever - we can control how we act, though. Paul is talking about placing ourselves in a position, a behaviour. And that’s hard sometimes, it’s a vulnerable position to put ourselves in - it can open us up to disappointment, to further grief. 

I think that’s why he follows it up with the line about gentleness - gentleness is never weakness. It’s a strength to not just close off, and try to rely only on ourselves. It can potentially hurt, and it involves a lot of trust. Our gentleness, our willingness to rejoice in the Lord no matter what is happening, is a beacon to those around us. 

Paul ends this section with a reminder - the Lord is near. Trust can feel like a gulf sometimes - waiting for someone to fill the space we leave for love to find us, to catch us. God does that, and he is always so, so near to us, waiting to pull even closer when we let him.

Okay, our next part. Worrying - let’s read.

Read 6-7:

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I want to propose here that Paul is doing the same thing as before. I don’t have the Greek, and I haven’t looked it up, but for the purposes of interpretation and teaching, I’m going to roll with it. 

I don’t think Paul is saying “don’t FEEL worry”. Just in the same way as before, where he isn’t saying “you must FEEL joy”, but do something to act on joy, I think here he isn’t saying “don’t FEEL worry”, but do all you can not to sit and ruminate on our worries - the act of WORRYING. 

I am TERRIBLE for this. I’ve suffered from anxiety for years, and I find it so easy when my brain decides to find something worrying, to not just acknowledge the feeling and move on, but to sit and THINK about it. To actively play out scenarios of how it might go wrong in my head, or fixate so much on it that I risk a panic attack.

I think that’s what Paul is talking about. When we FEEL worried, don’t ACT on that worry. Instead, he offers a different response - in prayer and asking and thanking, talk to God. Just as we might talk to a friend or a family member when something is really worrying us, for advice or encouragement or comfort, Paul says we believe in a God who wants us to do that with him. He’s not an aloof, unknowable figure, like  many gods from ancient times, but just like a friend, a family member. 

I love the next verse, about the peace of God. Not just because it sounds powerful and lovely, but because once again, Paul doesn’t say “hey, don’t feel worry, just pray to God and you’ll feel peace!” Because in my experience, that is just not how it works. He talks about how the peace of God will GUARD our hearts and minds - isn’t that stunning? It’s not some faux platitude about feeling good, but saying that even when we FEEL worry, God’s peace will actively GUARD us, watch over us, helping us to not ACT on our worry. 

Last part! Dwelling on things worth dwelling on. 

Read 8-9: 

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and  if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

What a long list, thanks Paul. 

Now, obviously, I don’t think Paul is giving us a laundry list to check off to make sure everything we think about is one or more of these things. It’s also not just ‘hey, think about good and happy things, great!’. I think that can lead us to bury our heads in the sand - if we only think about ‘good’ things, where is the space in our thoughts for oppression, for injustice, for righting wrongs? 

And actually, I think that’s why Paul doesn’t use the word good, despite this verse often getting summarised like that. Truth. Honour. Justice. Purity. Pleasing. Commendable. Excellence. Worthy of Praise. That’s what Paul says to think about - I think he’s asking us to find God in the things we think about, but maybe more importantly, to once again orientate our hearts and minds to see these things in the world. 

Let’s take an example.  I have a pretty poor relationship with my Dad, and an even worse relationship with my brother. I often get caught up in cycles of thinking about the ways they’ve hurt me, the ways they’ve taken advantage of me, or not seen me, the harm they’ve caused. Does Paul think I should think about those things? I think that might be the wrong question. Does Paul want me to think about those things, in this way? That is to say, where I let my anger and hurt burn within me, and my thought patterns just stoke those flames, letting them burn brighter and hotter. It doesn’t help them - it doesn’t help me. 

 Rather, I think Paul is challenging us to focus on the WAY we think about things, not necessarily WHAT we think about, though that is a different conversation. In my own example, what would happen if I spent more time thinking about the truth in my feelings? The justice? What was commendable, or excellent in it? Now, please let me be clear - in the case of emotional abuse, or any kind of abuse, I’m not saying “find the silver lining and live with it”.

What I am saying, is that, how can I think about the hurt and harm done in a way that prioritises truth? Maybe I can think about telling them exactly how they’ve hurt me before. How can I think about it in a way that prioritises justice? Perhaps I can write them a letter, explaining how I feel, how I experienced what they did and have done, and ask them to be accountable for their actions. How can I prioritise what was worthy of praise? Maybe it was about how I acted. How I was able to establish boundaries where I could, how was I strong where I could be, how has it made me the person I am today? 

In doing this, suddenly, my attitude has changed from letting my anger continue to burn inside me, and ultimately, continue to harm me; into a place of healing, and repair. To reconciliation, even if the people in my life don’t want to pursue that, at least I know I’ve tried, and I’ve been able to reconcile those things within myself.

This is just an example, and a very personal example. What I think Paul is recommending is an adjustment of the way we think - once again deciding to think about something in a different way, the same action-oriented advice as in the previous two sections. 

In the same way, when we think about pressing concerns in our world - systemic and generational racism, climate change, economic injustice, violence against women and minority groups, to name but a few - I think Paul is asking us to find the truth in these matters. To think about them in ways that are honourable, and seeks justice. These things lead us to action, not just to despair, or anger, or sadness. It spurs us to DO something about it, instead of just filing them away somewhere in our brains.

Christmas Eve Service

UBC will have a parking lot Christmas Eve service on December 24th at 6:00 P.M. We will have more details to come next week, but if you plan on attending this service please know that the building (read bathrooms) will not be open. To that end, we can say that the liturgy will likely be 20-30 minutes. We hope you can make it and would love the chance to worship with you through windshields. Also, we will not be distributing candles, but are encouraging parishioners to bring a device that can illumine: perhaps a candle, the light on your cell phone, whatever you feel comfortable with, for the singing of silent night at the conclusion of the service.

Advent Candle Liturgy

Each week we’ll be posting a candle lighting liturgy for Advent.  You can read through this alone, with friends via zoom, or, if you have an in-tact bubble of people you’ve been seeing throughout lockdown, together (hopefully practicing 2 of these 3: outside/masked/distanced). If you want to order some advent candles, that’s great.  If you have some random candles, that’s great.  If you just have matches or a lighter, that’s great too.  And if you have none of those things, but have an imagination, behold, your candle.  You can find the Peace liturgy here.

Thank You for Your Generosity?

Friends. The staff would like to say thank you for all your generosity. In the last month UBCers provided over 300 baked goods for Hillcrest doctors and nurses, provided 105 gift cards for Caesar Chavez faculty and staff, provided 25 presents for foster kids in central Texas and partnered with the Holiday family resource pantry to provide gift cards and essentials for families in need. We are very proud of everyone and grateful for the seemingly unending generosity of our community.

baked goods for Hillcrest

Cesars gift cards 105

foster kids presents 25 presents

holiday food pantry 20 families

ITLOTC Break

ITLOTC will be taking a two week break. Our last newsletter for the 2020 year will be sent on December 22nd. On the 29th and on January 5 there will be no newsletter. For the most up to date information from UBC please visit this blog, check facebook, or follow us on twitter &/or instagram.

Fun Christmas Carol Quiz

Parishioner of the Week

Taylor Watson for completing her rigorous fire fighter training and becoming a world class firefighter. We are grateful.

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

Luci Hoppe: lhoppe@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. 

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

Lighting the Peace Candle

The second Sunday of Advent invites us to grasp for Peace in the midst of despair, comfort in the midst of dissonance.  Not to stubbornly shout “PEACE!” when there is no peace, or to gloss over the reality of the pain and distress of life, but rather to notice what is in need of peace, and to notice the glimmers where peace is breaking through even now.  In the midst of this, we ask the Eternal One to shape our imaginations toward a world where peace pervades our communities, and pray that God would draw us into that reality, setting our feet on the way of peace

• Reflect on where you have found comfort over the past year.  What moments brought a (positive) stillness to your life?

•Reflect on where you have noticed a lack of peace in your life, your neighbor’s lives, and your community in general. What is in need of repair?

• Invite the Spirit of God to shape your imagination toward the work of God in the world, wondering how you might join God’s work of reconciliation in the world.  What does it mean to seek the Peace of God with the whole of your life?

May these reflections settle into a prayer this week—of gratitude for the peace you’ve found, of mourning for the peace found absent, and of anticipation for the peace yet to come.  We light this flame to reveal the path for our feet on the way of peace.

[Light the Peace candle]

Hear now the oracle of comfort from Isaiah 40:

Comfort, O comfort my people,
    says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and cry to her
that she has served her term,
    that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
    double for all her sins.

A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
    make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
    and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
    and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
    and all people shall see it together,
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

A voice says, “Cry out!”
    And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All people are grass,
    their constancy is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
    when the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
    surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades;
    but the word of our God will stand forever.
Get you up to a high mountain,
    O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
    O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
    lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
    “Here is your God!”
See, the Lord God comes with might,
    and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
    and his recompense before him.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
    he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
    and gently lead the mother sheep.

Liturgy Stuff 12-6-2020

December 6, 2020

Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on December 6th (in the order they are needed).

Change Everything

when will the night be turned to day
when will our torches find their flame
when will our eyes have light to see
o god, bring peace

when will our weapons have no place
when will our violence be replaced
when will our safety be complete
o god, bring peace
o god, bring peace

o god, if you could change everything
would it be a king or a new way to breathe
neither or both, o god could it be
something we’d never conceive

when will our worry be dissolved
when will our anxious thoughts be lost
when will our minds be put at ease
o god, bring peace
o god, bring peace

o god, if you could change everything
would it be a king or a new way to breathe
neither or both, o god could it be
something we’d never conceive

when will our cells maintain their shape
when will our bodies cease to fade
when will our dying taste defeat
o god bring peace
o god bring peace

Call to Worship

we have gathered to worship
the Eternal One

the One who draws near to the weak
but regards the proud from a distance

to enter the story of God

and find our own stories reimagined

that the Spirit of God might transform our hearts and minds

breathing peace into our distress,
comfort into our pain,
and drawing us into God’s work
of reconciliation in the world

Amen

Branch

behold, a branch shall come
from where the axe was laid
the root, unmarred by kings
will crown a sprout of grace
the spirit of the lord
will rest upon him
his judgement will pierce through
both brand and the best wording
with righteousness and peace
he will judge them
and decide with equity
for the poor and forgotten
but he shall strike the earth
with a tongue like a Javelin
and with a breath, reduce to ash
the gloating wicked
and behold, when with branch comes
as wolves and lambs lay down
your children will be left unharmed
safe above the ground

for they will not hurt or destroy
on all my mountain
and all the earth will raise
the same refrain:

O Praise the Name beyond all naming
open wide, ye gates: forsake your hinges
for the branch is raised, the beacon lifted
to gather in the rest to life, unbending

behold a branch shall come
and I know you’re tired
but set your heart to search for life
on every withered stump

There’s a Voice In the Wilderness Crying

there’s a voice in the wilderness crying
a call from the ways untrod
prepare in the desert a highway
a highway for our God
the valleys shall be exalted
the lofty hills brought low
make straight all the crooked places
where the lord our god may go

o Zion that bringest good tidings
get thee up to the heights and sing
proclaim to a desolate people
the coming of their king
like the flowers of the field, they perish
the works of all decay
so the pow’r and the pomp of nations
shall pass like a dream away

but the Word of our god endureth
the arm of the lord is strong
he stands in the midst of nations
and he will right the wrong

there’s a voice in the wilderness crying
a call from the ways untrod
prepare in the desert a highway
a highway for our God
the valleys shall be exalted
the lofty hills brought low
make straight all the crooked places
where the lord our god may go

Old Testament Reading

Today’s Old Testament reading, and Josh’s sermon text, is Joshua 2:

Then Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and spent the night there. The king of Jericho was told, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to search out the land.” Then the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come only to search out the whole land.” But the woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they came from. And when it was time to close the gate at dark, the men went out. Where the men went I do not know. Pursue them quickly, for you can overtake them.” She had, however, brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax that she had laid out on the roof. So the men pursued them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. As soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

Before they went to sleep, she came up to them on the roof and said to the men: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before you. For we have heard how the Lorddried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. As soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no courage left in any of us because of you. The Lord your God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below. Now then, since I have dealt kindly with you, swear to me by the Lord that you in turn will deal kindly with my family. Give me a sign of good faith that you will spare my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” The men said to her, “Our life for yours! If you do not tell this business of ours, then we will deal kindly and faithfully with you when the Lord gives us the land.”

Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the outer side of the city wall and she resided within the wall itself. She said to them, “Go toward the hill country, so that the pursuers may not come upon you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned; then afterward you may go your way.” The men said to her, “We will be released from this oath that you have made us swear to you if we invade the land and you do not tie this crimson cord in the window through which you let us down, and you do not gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your family. If any of you go out of the doors of your house into the street, they shall be responsible for their own death, and we shall be innocent; but if a hand is laid upon any who are with you in the house, we shall bear the responsibility for their death. But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be released from this oath that you made us swear to you.” She said, “According to your words, so be it.” She sent them away and they departed. Then she tied the crimson cord in the window.

They departed and went into the hill country and stayed there three days, until the pursuers returned. The pursuers had searched all along the way and found nothing. Then the two men came down again from the hill country. They crossed over, came to Joshua son of Nun, and told him all that had happened to them. They said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before us.”

New Testament Reading

Today’s New Testament reading is Matthew 1:1-5a:

An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab…

Giving

UBC relies on the generosity of the community. If you are a in place that you are able to give of your time, talent, and resources to UBC we would be grateful. If you want to make a financial contribution, the easiest way to do so is through our church center app.

Wayward Ones

we are the wayward ones
liars and beggars, those who betray
we hand you over, deny your name
cast you aside, yet still you say
this is my body, this is my blood
broken and shed to show my low

we are the broken ones
cowards and fools, all filled with disbelief
we forsake you, deny your name
cast you aside, yet still you say
this is my body, this is my blood
broken and shed to show my love

remember me, remember me
come to the table, take and eat
remember me

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

ITLOTC 12-1-20

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church)

Advent

In Defense of Gift, By Josh 

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

• How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Ted Geisel

Good Lord did I hate that part of the Grinch when I was a kid.  I know it’s the point of the story, but in my seven-year-old-present-expecting-heart it was propaganda from the Miser Brothers.  I watched the adults in the room when that part of the story was unveiled.  They were nodding sentimentally, as if the Grinch had somehow unwittingly unearthed a truer, deeper meaning of Christmas.  Namely, Christmas without presents.  That is a very dangerous idea for a kid that loved getting presents, and I wanted that message eradicated from our imaginations.  If the adults wanted to be ideological purists and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas in a glum house deprived of decorations, food, and let me repeat PRESENTS, while they sang christmas carols and held hands, that was fine for them.  They could join the long line of Christian ascetics who gave up life’s other goodies.  I for one, fully expected to reap the rich rewards of staring intently at the toy section in Sears catalogue for hours on end. 

We evolve though don’t we?  The presents become more pragmatic.  They meet social needs like the preferred brand of middle school’s mean girls or the basketball sneakers that the cool kids wear.  Eventually we get jobs and can afford those items from the Sears catalogue, but the frontal lobe is a cruel trickster because now we no longer want those things.  The new presents we want run in the triple digits.  8-track players in the 70s, boom boxes in the 80s, Sony Discmans in the 90s, DVD players in the 00s, iphones in the 10s.  Then something absolutely essential for human development happens.  From the ages of 18-22 you become a special kind of poor.  I should be more responsible in how I use that word.  For many of us, we maintain proximity to wealth (namely our parents' resources), but we are in an age of trying out adulthood.  Having to buy your own toiletries, do your own laundry, pay for the meals you eat out and in some cases come up with your own rent will change the way you see Wal-Mart.  Suddenly things that were provided for you without qualification for most of your life … things like roast beef, toilet paper and windshield wipers have inordinate value.  You craft a christmas list in your dorm room that has a splurgy item on it like new pajama pants from GAP, but also things like , a reading light and money towards your semester abroad.  Then you give up in frustration and just ask for Amazon gift cards because you remember weekly meal plans of Ramen Noodles and Easy Mac and your anxiety over the uncertainty of your unanticipated needs overshadows all of those wishes.  

Sometimes, after 85 years of paying off student loans, buying used minivans, and claiming well worn high chairs off of Buy Nothing Waco, you reach a new kind of financial stability.  I’m sad to report that the same sick consumeristic joke happens.  Now you can afford the ipad and cool basketball sneakers, but again the real desire of your heart has adjusted itself.  Instead of your gift ideas costing hundreds, they cost thousands or hundreds of thousands.  Hopefully by this point you’ve wised up and realized that this never changes.  What you really want is 50K to redo the kitchen or 40K to buy a brand new Honda Odyssey with a DVD player and individual headphones for the kids.  You know it’s insane to dream about those things, so when your spouse presses you for a Christmas list for his/her parents you tell him/her socks because you really do need them and even though you can now afford the ipad, you’ve been so conditioned by the scarcity of your 20s that you won’t buy yourself the socks.  

If life goes completely as planned you might even reach a new level of financial success.  Best I can tell the Boomers by and large get there.  Now you can even afford the 50K kitchen remodel and 40K honda odyssey, but by this point, for a reason that only Dave Ramsey knows, you’ve developed a great joy out of feigning thriftiness.  So you end up buying and restoring a 1988 Plymouth Chrysler minivan (always a minivan) with the faux wood paneling on the side both because you can and now you're nostalgic about the poorest time in your financial history.  Your Christmas list includes time with the grandkids and the request for one of your children to come to your house,  set up the Alexa and teach you how to use it. 

By this point in life you think about your Whoville Christmas Spirit hating self that felt threatened by gift deprivation, and you realize the Whos were onto something.  You should have listened to the Apostle Paul who in Philippians 4 figured it all out when he wrote, “I have learned how to abound and how to be abased.  To be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.”  You’ve paid thousands of dollars for therapists to help you get to that same place.  

Still I think the gifts have power.   They hold a special kind of potential to express love. 

Early in our marriage Lindsay acquired (not sure if it was purchased, won, or given) a circular box of Christmas questions.  The questions are prompts.  Our family treats them as if they are part of our annual advent curriculum.  Here are some examples of questions:  “what is an important tradition in your family?” “What is your favorite Christmas song?” There are probably fifteen or so questions.  I’ve not recorded my answers, but I'm certain I must give the same ones each year.  Here’s a question I answered last night.  What is the best gift you’ve ever gotten?  

It was a movie that Lindsay rented from her local library.  We were both seniors in college.  She was student teaching and so poor, that I, her full time student fiance, paid her $87 tax bill because she couldn’t afford to.  This was 2003, well before Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube and Disney Plus had proliferated access to nearly everything ever recorded.  So poor Lindsay (double entendre there)  went to her local River Falls, WI library and used the interlibrary loan system to track down a Dean Jones Disney classic and I had seen once in my life as a kid and never saw again called The Snowball Express.  Then on Christmas Eve opened the VHS tape, hugged by one of those plastic cases with the movie jacket covered in a thin layer of velum.  It was and still is the best gift I’ve ever received. 

Christmas Carol Game

Why? Because I like these kinds of things. You are welcome. The first person to get all 24 right wins the affection of the whole staff for the advent season.

Holiday Family Resource Pantry

If you will recall, we partnered with several other churches and non-profits earlier this year to provide assistance to families within Waco ISD. Our team, works closely with a few social workers within in Waco ISD, and they have identified 250 families who need help over the holidays. UBC is sponsoring 20 of those families. We are collecting household/hygiene items for each family, as we well as a $25 gift card to HEB. If you would like to sponsor a family, which would include purchasing these items and a gift card, please email toph@ubcwaco.org. WE already have four families sponsored, so we need 16 more. Thank you so much for you generosity over the past few weeks, let’s keep it up. The household/hygiene items and gift cards will need to be collect by Sunday, December 13th.

How/When to Buy the New Ubcmusic EP

If you are planning to purchase the Magnificat EP, or any of the Ubcmusic releases, please consider doing that via Bandcamp this Friday, December 4.  They are waiving their revenue shares that day, so we will get 100% of the money you spend.  That money will go toward making more music!

UBC Advent Calendar

Here we are separated by distances and necessity because COVID is a son of a gun. Still there is a way for us to be of one mind and one spirit (at least digitally). You can participate in the UBC advent calendar extravaganza. It’s not too late even though we are a few days into advent. God is like that, God says, “come to the party even if you are late!” So here is what you do. Click on this link here. Put this calendar in a place (digital or analog) that you will remember, snap some photos, and tag UBC in them. It will be all the craze. Here are a few people who are participating in UBC’s advent calendar insta-series: Jane Fonda, Marilyn Manson, & Justin Bieber. Don’t miss out.

Advent Candle Liturgy

Each week we’ll be posting a candle lighting liturgy for Advent.  You can read through this alone, with friends via zoom, or, if you have an in-tact bubble of people you’ve been seeing throughout lockdown, together (hopefully practicing 2 of these 3: outside/masked/distanced). If you want to order some advent candles, that’s great.  If you have some random candles, that’s great.  If you just have matches or a lighter, that’s great too.  And if you have none of those things, but have an imagination, behold, your candle.  You can find the Hope liturgy here.

Advent Materials for Families

Hey Parents and Families! Just a reminder that Advent starts this Sunday and so Taylor has some fun family curriculum for you to do together as we journey through Advent! There are fun crafts and activities as well as reflection questions and devotional elements for you to do together as a family during this Advent season! So be on the lookout for an email with those resources! Also - you don't have to be family unit to use these resources! So if you would like to use them just email Taylor at taulor@ubcwaco.org!

Parishioner of the Week

UBC Music for creating a tremendous Advent EP.

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

Luci Hoppe: lhoppe@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. 

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

UBC Advent Calendar 2020

We are looking forward for this Advent season and so we wanted to provide some opportunities for all of us to reflect and connect during Advent 2020! Please use this Advent Calendar to reflect on the themes of Advent and connect with UBCers and other friends and family! Please snap a picture and tag @ubcwaco on instagram so that we can all participate together!