Andie’s Article
ICYMI:
Things have changed with the passing of the most recent budget bill, and last Sunday I was mad. MAD. MADMADMADMADMAD. And to be fair, I still am, but courtesy of our scripture, James 2:1-26, I'm not only mad. I'm inspired. Resilient. Resolute. And I have a plan. Here's an excerpt from my sermon that lays out a plan for UBC in the face of an impending hunger crisis:
"If you can afford extra canned goods at the store, I am talking to you, so listen up, because once again, I want to be very clear: Being rich is not the problem, hoarding wealth is. Loving money more than you love people is. And as we shift the definition of 'rich' to reflect the global statistics of poverty, more of us fall in that category than we might have originally believed. If you threw food away because you didn't feel like cooking so you ordered out instead, if you let leftovers go bad because they didn’t sound very good, I am talking to you. Here's what we are going to do: We are going to give. We are going to stock the HIV-focused food pantry at Metropolitan Christian Church. We are going to gather and assemble food packs for Shepherd’s Heart. We are in the process of purchasing an upright freezer for our kitchen here at UBC and we are going to stock it with freezer meals so any and all of us can take a meal when we need it. When there is more month than money. When we’ve been out at a protest and haven’t gone to the store. When we’re hosting a MiCasa and we don’t have time to cook. We are going to have prep parties where little groups of us gather and make and exchange meals, where we gather and fill our freezer. We are going to feed our community and we are going to feed each other. We are going to be together. We are going to be there for one another. We are going to be a place to recharge and seek hope and to be honest and vulnerable and we a place to bear witness to each other’s pain and celebrate the joys that we experience because yes, things are changing, but it is hope that will sustain us and fresh vision and purpose that will allow us to stay faithful."
Here's a list of needed items for the Red Door HIV-focused food pantry
(There will be a donation box in the lobby this Sunday):
-Boxed cereal
-Canned tuna, vienna sausage, or canned salmon
-Saltine crackers, instant potatoes, macaroni & cheese, rice, or spaghetti
-Hamburger Helper and other boxed dinners, canned chili, or canned stew
-Peanut butter, jelly, pickles, mustard, ketchup, or barbeque sauce
-Jiffy cornbread mix, sugar, or vegetable oil
-Canned fruit, beans, or vegetables
If you want to sign up for a prep party, email me at andie@ubcwaco.org. We will need food donations, shoppers, and cooks; there will be a job for everyone despite skill or financial resources.
We have each other, and we have a responsibility to bring the flourishing of the Kindom of God, the family of God, near. Time to get to work.
THIS WEEK
Youth Group is back on Wednesday nights!
Pints without/ Toph- Wednesdays, Pinewood Public House, 6pm
GIVING
UBC survives on the generosity of our congregation. Your financial contributions allow us to continue to create a space that is welcoming to all, embraces beauty, and seeks to live life to the fullest.
You can give, as you’re able, on Sunday mornings or set up a single or recurring online gift here.
If you ever have trouble with giving online or have a question about how to give, feel free to email administrator@ubcwaco.org.
CHURCH NEEDS
Summer Lunch and Literacy program volunteers We are in need of some volunteers to help during the lunch hour in late June and early August. Volunteers would help with engaging with families who come for the Waco ISD free lunch served at UBC, reading with kids in smaller groups, and leading story times and/or crafts, as well as locking up the building after the hour is over. You can volunteer for one day, or many days! Sign up is here: Summer Lunch Program Volunteers and you can email nicole@ubcwaco.org for more information.
Book Drive
We are accepting gently used or new kids' books to have for our literacy program! We are looking for books ranging from preschool to 6th graders. Bring any donations to the kids' office in May and June! You can also donate funds to specifically use for purchasing books at ubcwaco.org/give, and select "Literacy Program".
Back to School Supplies for Arrow
We are beginning to collect supplies for Arrow Child and Family Ministries back to school backpack drive, and everything is due July 27th. We’ve committed to collect backpacks and supplies for 10 kids. You can sign-up in the foyer at church or email toph@ubcwaco.org When you sign-up, Toph will send you the list of supplies you will need to buy.
UBC NEW BABY TEAM
ALERT. We’ve got a veritable gaggle of babies on the way this year, and are in search of a group of volunteers who will help support the new families and little nUBCers by organizing meal trains, postpartum support, etc! Email nicole@ubcwaco.org if you're interested on serving on this team.
Are you one of our soon-to-be baby having families? Take a moment to fill out this form so we can prepare to support you and your nUBCer!
Kid’s Volunteers
SIgn up to help with ubckids! Do it for the future! You can sign up here.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Waco Dives - Wednesday, July 9th
Waco Dives is back and we are back with another: L&L Hawaiin downtown! We will be meeting at L&L Hawaiin downtown Waco at noon Wednesday, and would for you to join us. This a great time to hang out with other UBC’ers in the middle of the week, and join a local hole-in-the-wall spot for lunch. No need to rsvp, just bring yourself (and a friend if you want). Look for Andie this week. If you have any questions, contact toph@ubcwaco.org
Find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!
PREACHING SCHEDULE
Andie (for the next several weeks)
CONTACT INFO
Pastoral Staff
Andie Pellicer, Lead Pastor
(andie@ubcwaco.org)
Toph Whisnant, Community Pastor (toph@ubcwaco.org)
Jameson McGregor, Worship & Arts Pastor (jamie@ubcwaco.org)
Nicole Dizdar, Kids Pastor
(nicole@ubcwaco.org)
Leadership Team (leadershipteam@ubcwaco.org)
Britt Duke
Andy Clark
Aleigh Ascherl
Marcus Franklin
Katie Robinson
Margo Shanks
Staff Support Team (staffsupport@ubcwaco.org)
Kyle Howerton
Jim Wren
Betsy Bracken
Finance Team (finance@ubcwaco.org)
Brandon Glover
Jonathan Hill
Ben Rose