Meet Our New College Group Volunteer
Hello everyone! I’m Hannah Kapitaniuk, and I wanted to pop into this virtual space and introduce myself in anticipation of leading our college group this year. My husband Jacob and I began attending UBC last summer, and it has been such a joy to be part of this community. I am an Austin native and elementary and middle school teacher, now working toward my PhD as a research assistant in the Department of Educational Leadership at Baylor. Facilitating our college group feels like a natural fit, and it harkens back to my youth ministry intern days while in college myself.
As Andie recently shared, Waco needs UBC. It is exciting to dive into this college space, one where we can offer a countercultural and inclusive community. Brad Montague, the creator of Kid President, said, “Absurd times call for absurd amounts of love.” Absurd feels like the correct word for our world today, and absurd love is precisely what UBC is all about. Social justice activist and lawyer Bryan Stevenson has four principles for pursuing justice that I have found particularly helpful in this work:
1. Stay proximate.
2. Change the narrative.
3. Remain hopeful.
4. Do uncomfortable things.
As we go through this week, may we stay close to those we seek to serve, remain, as Andie often says, people of hope amid a world of grief, and step willingly and openly into the discomfort and inconvenience that catalyzes change. May we love absurdly, today and every day.
THIS WEEK
Youth Group is back on Wednesday nights!
*Pints at Pinewood - Wednesday, Pinewood Public House, 6pm
Baylor Church Fair - Saturday, 10am-12pm
Do you love UBC? Is your dream come true to tell random college students about it while handing out dorm survival packs and flyers? We've got the event for you! Sign up to help at Baylor's Church Fair and let those incoming freshmen know that there is a place for them at UBC.
Welcome Back Lunch and Blood Drive - Sunday, 12p
This year, we are pairing our annual Welcome Back Lunch with a blood drive benefiting Carter BloodCare. Schedule your appointment with the QR code below, and YES, you can come and go from Sunday liturgy as needed!
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
Support our Educators:
Rath Loeung
“I teach high school 3D animation, and we’re moving into a brand-new campus—it’s like starting in a fresh Minecraft world: flat terrain, no builds, just possibilities. Every item on this wishlist helps me turn our lab into a place where students feel motivated to learn, create, and bring their ideas to life (no wood-punching required). Thanks for your support!”
Rebeca Cuellar
“This year, I am embracing my native language and jumping into the bilingual classroom. I'm excited to serve my hispanic community and continue to help my students grow in 2 languages. It's my first year in the bilingual classroom, and I know amazing things will happen.”
Kasey Neimeier
“I'm filled with gratitude and excitement to share that my husband Kasey has been blessed with his first teaching position! He'll be teaching 7th grade Texas History at a Title 1 school, where he'll have the opportunity to serve 150+ students who come from low-income families.”
Are you an educator? Would you like us to drop your wishlist and a tidbit about your classroom here? Email the info to Nicole@ubcwaco.org!
Meal Train
Help Welcome Baby Henry to the world and provide a meal for the Macdonald family!
MacDonald Meal Train
Go Fund Me for Carolina to keep the family together
Go Fund Me
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.
Tech Volunteers
Want to help keep the wheels from falling off on Sunday mornings? We are in need of volunteers to run lights, slides, and our livestream in the tech booth. No prior experience required--we will train you on whichever station you would like to help with. Email jamie@ubcwaco.org for more info.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Town Hall- August 31st, Immediately Following Service
Get the skinny on all things UBC at Town Hall. We will re-gather after the liturgy in the sanctuary.
UbcKids Volunteer Meeting (Come and Go)- September 7th, 9:45am-10:45am
If you are interested in volunteering with our kids, stop by the Red Room for a breakfast taco and to learn more/sign up!
Pack of Hope Food Drive- September 7th-28th
McLennan County Pack of Hope attempts to erase child hunger in McLennan County by supplying eligible students of participating school districts with bags of nutritious food from Friday through Sunday, while they are not receiving meals in school. We are doing a food drive to support their efforts. You can drop any of the following off in Nicole’s office: Microwaveable meals (Chef Boyardee & Mac and Cheese), breakfast bars, granola bars, crackers, fruit gummies, cereal, fruit cups, pudding, pop-tarts, cookies, juice, SlimJims, etc.
College Kickoff Pool Party- September 8th, 6-8pm
Contact hannah@ubcwaco.org for address and details!
Coffee Hour w/ Nicole- September 10th, 10-11am
Join Nicole at Common Grounds on Franklin for coffee and connection! Space for kids to play, caregivers to chat with each other and connect with Nicole!
nUBCers Coffee Hour- September 14th, 9:45am
If you’re new to Ubc in the past 6 months or so, join us in the Red Room for coffee and breakfast tacos to hear more about our community.
Derek Webb Survival Songs Tour (Ticketed)- September 21st, 8-9:30pm
Derek Webb is bringing the Survival Songs House Show Tour to Ubc.
“As an artist, citizen, and dad of teens, let me tell you what I see when I look at the world today: queer people, especially queer kids, are in imminent danger and desperately need a soundtrack to comfort, encourage, and empower them. Over the past month, I’ve written and recorded an entire album that seeks to do just that. It’s called Survival Songs and I can't wait to share it with you live.”
New songs, and lively discussion. Limited seating.
LGBTQ+ teens (18 and under) can attend any show on the Survival Songs tour for FREE. Just select “LGBTQ+ Teen Ticket” at checkout to get your ticket(s). These tickets run on the honor system, please don’t abuse it.
The Book Club @ Ubc- September 30th, 7-8pm
Join us as we discuss the book “The Thursday Murder Club”. Tea and sweet treats provided. Bring your own beverage or snack to share if you’d like! Childcare provided for babies-5 years old.
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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)
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