ITLOTC 12-6-13

12-6-13

Growing:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UBCer In Need:

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

Beauty:

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

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

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

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

Land:

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

Announcements:

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

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

254 366 9779

ITLOTC 11-29-13

11-29-13

In Defense of Thanksgiving:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Land Update:

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

This Sunday December 1^st:

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

Beauty:

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

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

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

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

Announcements:

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

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

254 366 9779

ITLOTC 11-22-13

11-22-13

Work is Worship:

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

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

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

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

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

Ordination:

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

Love Feast:

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

Beauty:

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

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

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

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

Announcements:

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

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

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

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

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

254 366 9779

ITLOTC 11-15-13

11-15-13

Silence in our worship:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mission:

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

Land:

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

Beauty:

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

Announcements:

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

Love is an Orientation

This Wednesday we will have a conversation at UBC around Andrew Marin's book "Love is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community."  I always feel it is necessary to lead with, "You DO NOT have to have read the book in order to participate," and this continues to be true.  There will be a quick summary of the book at the beginning, so you will not be in the dark.    We will meet in the Backside at 6:00, and you are encouraged to bring your dinner with you.  UBC will provide drinks. We have invited member's of Baylor's Sexual Identity Forum to join us for this very important conversation.  After the conversation, at 7:15, we will all meet in the Brown Room for our Compline service, which is about 20 minutes and consists primarily of reading the Psalms.

Hope to see you on Wednesday!

New Wednesday Schedule...

We are beginning a new Wednesday schedule this week.  Due to timing conflicts and diminishing interest, we are no longer having the formation time at 6:00.  We will, however, keep this time open occasionally for book conversations.  The new Wednesday schedule is as follows... 7:15 a.m.:  Communion. (Lasts about 20 minutes.)

6:00-7:00 p.m.:  Backside will be open for you to bring your dinner.  This time will also be for occasional book discussions, meetings, etc.

7:15 p.m.:  Compline Service.

Spread the word!

Why we do Communion and Compline (by Craig Nash)...

Today began our new fall schedule which includes a Communion Service at 7:15 a.m. and Compline at 7:30 p.m.  The idea, borrowed from monks (who borrowed it from Scripture,) is that we begin and end our day with prayer, calling out to God, communing with God's people. We began Communion this morning with the words of the Psalmist... "Oh Lord, Open our lips, and our mouths will declare your praise." (Ps. 51)

We will end the day with words from Psalm 4... "I will both lie down and sleep in peace; For you alone, o Lord, make me lie down in safety."

Most of the formation work of the church, any church, (Protestant churches, at least,) is active and engaging.  It requires prayer, thought and action which, often, are synonymous with each other.  In our Sunday morning worship we sing songs and hear God's word proclaimed through the sermon.  In our Bible Studies and small groups we engage with Scripture and with each other actively, almost always aware of what is happening, always with an eye toward benefit.  In other words, it doesn't take much effort to see and understand what is (or isn't) happening during these times.

But in our more contemplative times, such as Communion and Compline, the "benefits" are rarely seen or felt immediately.  What we "get out of" or "put into" these times takes a back seat to our simple participation in the words and rituals of God and God's people.  In a way, the act of showing up during these times is all that is required.  It is saying to God and to the world, symbolically with our bodies and participation, "I am present."  Whether wiping the sleep out of our eyes at the beginning of the day, or wiping them exhaustion out of them at the end, we are here.

There is  another way of "knowing" and "learning" that occurs during these times, a different kind of benefit altogether from what we usually expect from "church life."  Because of this, many people find these times difficult and dismiss them as being for "those" kinds of people-- mystics, contemplatives, weirdos.  (We know how you look at us. :)  )  Yet Spiritual Formation almost ALWAYS occurs in the context of community.  And in our context, it occurs in a VERY diverse community of mystics, evangelicals, charismatics, liberals, conservatives, Arminians, Calvinists, Open Theists, etc., etc.  When each of these sit next to each other reuglarly in a circle and participates, together, in the words of life-- "Oh Lord, open our mouths and our lips will declare your praise,"-- something special happens.

It just may take the rest of our lives, maybe longer, to understand what that "something special" is.

Fall 2013 Sunday School...

Our new semester of Sunday School begins this coming Sunday at 9:30 a.m.  We hope all of you can join us for this special time of formation.  We have several opportunities for you this year.... THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

This fall, the lectionary (a three year Bible reading plan used by many churches) relies heavily on the Gospel of Luke, so we decided it would be a great idea for us to provide an opportunity to become conversant in this important book and to explore what it has for us and the church.  Location: Red Room, taught by Adam Winn

JEREMIAH

Like Luke, the lectionary this fall has generous helpings of the book of Jeremiah. This group will look at the historical and literary background of Jeremiah and will consider its contemporary significance and application for our lives.  Location: Brown Room, taught by Grant Francis and Monike Garabieta

FRESHMEN

Sunday School is a perfect opportunity to get connected with the UBC community and to explore the core values of our church with other first year students.  Location: Rock n Roll Room, led by Toph Whisnant, Daley Olson, Julia Fanning and Sean DelBecarro.

WE’VE GOT ISSUES

Along with many other things, church should be a place where we think about and contemplate Big Ideas. From theological reflections on worship to conversations around culture, technology and race, this class will do just that. Each class will be a 15-18 minute “TED Talk” style presentation from various UBC’ers, and followed by conversation around the topic at hand. Location: The Back Side, led by various UBC’ers

YOUTH

We’ve got a youth group! And our youth group meets on Sunday Mornings in the white room upstairs and has a blast reading scripture, getting to know each other, and, we suppose, doing stuff with life savers and toothpicks, though we don’t ask questions about those kind of messes. If you have a student from sixth through twelfth grades we would love for them to join us!  For information, contact craig@ubcwaco.org.

Home and Discipleship Groups at UBC...

This year UBC has numerous opportunities for you to become involved in a group designed to help you be formed into the person God wants you to be.  Two of those opportunities are Home Groups (also known as "Mi Casas") and Discipleship/Spiritual Formation Groups. Our Home Groups meet once a week in people's houses and apartments.  Over the years this has become the best way to become involved in the life of UBC and to find people within the church to connect and to grow with.  Each group shares a meal (or dessert) together, is committed to pray for each other and for UBC, and to engage with Scripture in some way on a weekly basis.  Beyond that, each group forms its own "personality" based on the people involved.

This is the first year we are facilitating Discipleship/Spiritual Formation Groups.  Based on the Spiritual Formation writings and initiatives of Renovare', these groups are groups of 3-5 people who are deeply committed to each other's formation as a Christian and who meet weekly to study Scripture, pray, and to help each other be more intentional about becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.  We have leaders ready to lead these groups.  Also, if you had a small group of friends who wanted to participate in a group together, we would be happy to get you started with the right direction and materials.

If you want to be a part of either of these groups, please email craig@ubcwaco.org.

Fall Wednesdays...

We are excited about Wednesdays this coming fall.  There will be opportunities all day long for you to connect with the church, worship, and re-center during the middle of the week.  We hope you can make time to participate!  Below is the Wednesday schedule, which will begin on September 4....  

6:45 a.m.-- Early risers.  For folks who want to attend the 7:15 communion service, but need a little extra time to wake up, we will have coffee and donuts to get you going.

7:15 a.m.-- Communion Service.  This will be a short, 20 minute service that will include scripture reading, prayer and communion.  We are making this service open to anyone in the community.

5:00p.m.-6:00p.m.-- Dinner in the Backside!  We are opening up the backside, setting up tables and chairs, and inviting you to bring your dinner to eat with other UBC'ers.  You can arrive at any time during that hour.

6:00p.m.-- Adult Spiritual Formation and Children's Activities.  At 6:00 we will have a time that consists of a variety of Spiritual Formation activities, from Bible Studies to art/music nights to learning about how we can be engaged with our neighborhood.  Also, there will be activities for kids!

7:30p.m.-- Compline.  In monastic traditions, Compline is the last prayer service of the day.  This service will be about 20 minutes and will include prayer, a devotional reading and readings from Scripture.

8:00p.m.-- Pub Group and Discipleship Groups.  We will have our pub group at 8:00 at the Dancing Bear, and the church will also be open during that time for our smaller discipleship groups to meet.

Getting to Know You(bc): Amanda Mott...

Age?

19

Where do you call home?

Sugar Land, Texas

What do you do in Waco?

sophomore at Baylor studying film

What do you love most about UBC?

the music. it is so good. i enjoy when i can fully lose myself in worship and UBC has provided me that opportunity every sunday.

Favorite movie?

i don't know that i have one favorite, i am overly attached to several. but i love The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Christopher Nolan is my man.

Book/author?

Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. Or Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (disclaimer: i've never actually read Pride and Prejudice, but the movie is so beautiful, the book can't be much different right?)

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

i wanted to be a writer and an astronaut.

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

a screenwriter .. and daniel day lewis' best friend

Favorite artist/band/musician?

coldplay. i could never love another more.

Best burger in Waco?

HealthCamp cheeseburger with an Oreo milkshake and a side of ice water

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

i really like photography and movies. i miss and love my family so much, they are some of the greatest people i know. i believe that the academy awards are the best day of the year and i think panda bears are cute. my friend went to China once and got to hold a real panda bear. i hope to do that one day too.

Favorite YouTube video?

is it sad that my favorite thing to watch on YouTube are acceptance speeches? it probably is. but here are two of my favorites. i watch these videos more that i will ever admit to, but they are kind of inspiring. at least i think so!     

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxr8mbvaB2E]    

AND

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8RIS5GJqAg]

Getting to Know You(bc): Jeff Langtham...

Age?

24

Where do you call home?

I'm originally from Houston, but I've lived in Waco for about two years now. My family also has some land near Austin, so let's just say I call Texas home.

What do you do in Waco?

Work as a propulsion test engineer at SpaceX.

What do you love most about UBC?

I love the open and honest atmosphere at UBC. It's a welcoming place where people can feel free to be themselves. It's full of people interested in engaging in genuine conversation about how we can be more like Christ.

Favorite Movie?

Gran Torino.

book/author?

J. R. R. Tolkien.

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

An astronaut.

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

An astronaut, or do whatever I can to help us explore the crazy big universe that God made (it's out there waiting for us!).

Favorite artist/band/musician?

Arcade Fire, Mumford and Sons, The Lumineers, Of Monsters and Men, Coldplay, U2 (hard to choose just one.)

Best Burger in Waco?

Health Camp!

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

I love trying new things. It helps me keep perspective and keeps life interesting. Also, playing musical instruments is one of my favorite hobbies: mainly piano/keyboard and guitar.

Favorite YouTube video?

My favorite YouTube video is a performance of one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands. It's a song about a man struggling to find God's will and ultimately realizing that he's failed to find it (my generalized interpretation of the lyrics). He also engages in a bit of hyperbole (exaggeration for effect) at the end. Anyway, watch it, don't watch it, love it, hate it, feel indifferent about it; just make up your own mind and don't take my word for it. It's called Antichrist Television Blues, and it's by Arcade Fire:

[youtube=http://youtu.be/Iz9JrdR_BI0]

Getting to Know You(bc): Dan Padgett...

Age

One-quarter of a century come April 1^st.

Where do you call home?

Middletown, NJ.

What do you do in Waco?

I'm a grad student at Baylor, working on a PhD in Philosophy.

What do you love most about UBC?

The community; along with being fantastic human beings, the people I have befriended at UBC inquire earnestly into what it means to be a Christian. I am thankful to be surrounded by those friends.

Favorite Movie?

The Life Aquatic.

book/author?

C.S. Lewis’ Till We Have Faces. If you haven’t yet read it, do so immediately; if you have read it, read it again. Not only is it a wonderful work of fiction, but it also has profound insights into the nature of our relationship with God. In general, I’m a fan of anything by Lewis or Tolkien.

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

For a while I wanted to fly jets for the Air Force. I also distinctly remember that I didn’t want to get a job that involved teaching or math, which is ironic since I have a degree in mathematics and...

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

I’m hoping to be a professor once I finish my PhD.

Favorite artist/band/musician?

Wilco.

Best Burger in Waco?

Captain Billy Whizzbang’s Whizz-pig.

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

As much as I love philosophy, it doesn’t take much to convince me to put the books down and do something outdoorsy, pick up my guitar, or just hang out with friends.

Favorite YouTube video. I guess this isn’t something YouTube specific, but the claymation is entrancing.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puph1hejMQE]

Getting to Know You(bc): Michael Scott...

 

Age?

19

Where do you call home?

I'm originally from Alaska, but I call San Antonio home. 

What do you do in Waco?

I'm a freshman at Baylor, I'm pre-business at the moment.

What do you love most about UBC?

I love the music and community, and that everyone is so inviting, and my Mi Casa <3

Favorite Movie?

The Blindside/Pitch Perfect.

Book/author?

Is Heaven For Real by Todd Burpo.

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

A princess, and a dolphin trainer, and a flight attendant, and a teacher and a mom.

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

I think I want to be in the Army reserves and be a Human Resource Executive at USAA, so that changed a little from back then.. But really I don't know. Anything is possible.

What's it like sharing a name with the most famous fictional boss of all time?

I think it's really funny. If I didn't love the office it'd probably be awful though. One of the best parts is when I can tell people wanna say something about it, but they don't wanna be awkward, which ends up being awkward. Lol:)

Favorite artist/band/musician?

I have a million. I love Brad Paisley, and Mumford & Sons, and MercyMe.

Best Burger in Waco?

Texas Roadhouse has the best burger anywhere.

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

If something is pink and sparkly I more than likely love it. It doesn't take a lot to make me laugh, but when I think something is really funny, my laugh is horrible.

Favorite YouTube video. -

Single Ladies Devastation (he's just so sad! lol)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb9eL3ejXmE]

Getting to Know You(bc): Caleb Ludrick

Age?

20

Where do you call home?

The Woodlands, Texas

What do you do in Waco?

I am a sophomore studying Business at Baylor and I work part time at the Baylor Law Library.

What do you love most about UBC?

One of the things that initially drew me to UBC was the music. After I started attending regularly I began to really appreciate the spirit of authenticity that the community embodies.

Favorite Movie?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy and everything by Woody Allen.

Favorite Book/Author/reading material?

C.S. Lewis and Cormac McCarthy are both favorites. I’m currently reading Blood Meridian and On The Road.

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

A firefighter: the classic American hero.

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

Something with an MIS degree.

Favorite artist/band/musician?

Three way tie between The Black Keys, Explosions in the Sky, and Led Zeppelin.

Best Burger in Waco?

A1 Thick-n-Hearty from the Whataburger on 5th Street. Other than that I’m a fan of Health Camp.

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

I love playing guitar, especially the blues. I listen to a lot of different blues artists all the time; some of my favorites are Son House, Junior Kimbrough, Howlin’ Wolf, and then some modern blues-rock like The Black Keys and Black Pistol Fire. I can play a pretty mean slide guitar. I also enjoy mountain biking at Cameron Park and watching Woody Allen films.

Favorite YouTube Video?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjqgliGgvt0]

Getting to Know You(bc): Dan Venzin

Age?

25 years, 4 months, and 7 days (statistics derived on 3/18/13)

Where do you call home?

I call Texas home.  If I had to choose a specific place in Texas it would be College Station - it is the longest I have ever lived in one location.  I was born in Detroit and have lived in Ohio, England, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Texas.  I have an older brother who lives in New York City - he is getting married in late May of this year in Istanbul, Turkey; an older sister who lives in Houston - she is one of the strongest persons I know; a younger brother who goes to school at Texas A&M in College Station - he is the weirdest of weird persons I know; and my mother and father live in West Palm Beach, Florida - best parents anyone could ask for.  They say home is where the heart is, so I consider my home to be in a lot of different places.

What do you do in Waco?

I attend Truett Seminary.  I play basketball every Thursday night at the Columbus Avenue Baptist Center with friends.  I play on an intramural soccer team with some guys from Truett.  I work in the Baylor Marketing & Communications Department.  I watch movies and television in Waco.  I drink lots of coffee in Waco, as well.

What do you love most about UBC?

Craig Nash.  Have you seen his smile, heard his laugh, or looked into his eyes?

Favorite Movie?

What About Bob? with Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss, Julie Hagerty, Charlie Korsmo, and Kathryn Erbe.  Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy ranks fairly high on the list along with Lord of the Rings and Young Frankenstein.

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

Meteorologist/Weatherman.

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

A month before I graduated from Texas A&M in 2011 I was picked up by a building products distribution plant in Houston and I worked there in sales for one year before moving to Waco.  I felt called to the ministry when I was a senior in high school and decided to take that step in the summer of 2012.  Truett Seminary started a new program that offers a dual degree for an M.Div/MBA which I plan on pursuing.  From my personal, educational, and work experience, I am interested in how ministry works and is practiced in career/workplace settings.  If worse comes to worse I figure I can catch a one way flight to New Zealand and open a high-five stand© that encourages tourists to enjoy their vacation.

Favorite artist/band/musician?

I have seen Relient K in concert 10 times.  I'm not sure if they are my favorite band or the greatest band ever but I grew up listening to them and I get nostalgic whenever a song of theirs comes on.

Best Burger in Waco?

McDouble.

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

I have seen each individual Big Bang Theory episode more times I care to admit.  My room is always messy.  Sometimes I set up a tent in my living room and pretend I'm camping.  People say I'm competitive.  I say that I am passionate about winning.

What is it like being an Aggie in Waco?

It was difficult at first because of all the attention Baylor Bears would give me, but once the celebrity status started to become a background topic, people, especially Craig, came to realize that I'm just a normal guy who happens to be an Aggie and who happens to live in Bear country.  I remember during orientation at Truett, one of my fellow classmates - who also attends UBC - and I were talking about Aggie and Baylor football before the 2012 season had kicked off.  I believe one of his comments consisted of the words, "Oh I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over our Heisman."  To that I say to him: Eternal scoreboard.  Baylor Heisman: 1  Texas A&M: 2.

I love college rivalries and love that I have the opportunity to go to such a great school that shares a unique history with my alma mater.  Baylor is a top-notch school and the people have been nothing short of hospitable to a foreigner like me.  The experience has been humbling at the same time.  I can remember a situation where I said to myself, "I don't know where I want to go to grad school or what I want to do in grad school, but at least I know I will never go to Baylor."  Funny how things work out.

My old roommates from A&M helped me move down to Waco the weekend before classes started.  We had finished unloading all of the boxes in my apartment, said our goodbyes and they drove off.  A few hours later I walked outside and saw my car, which has an A&M decal on the rear window, covered in Baylor stickers.  For 3 months I blamed this prank on a faceless and obnoxious Baylor student.  Turns out my old roommates were the ones who pulled this prank on me.  For Christmas they both got me Baylor gear and insist on me doing a "sic 'em" whenever I see them.  I catch fire from both Bears and Aggies.

Favorite YouTube video of all time?

Keyboard Cat has got to be up there somewhere.  The Harlem Shake.  Nooma Nooma guy.  Leroy Jenkins.  The classics, you know?  I could watch videos of dogs playing with lemons all day - 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNkB6vI5vwg]

Getting to Know You(bc): Ronald Tipton

Where do you call home?    Waco vía San Antonio.

What do you do in Waco?    I teach high school engineering classes.

What do you love most about UBC?

Community Meals.

Favorite Movie? Logan's Run.

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

What do you want to be now when you grow up? A trainer.

Favorite artist/band/musician? Albert Bierstadt/ The 77s/ Glenn Kaiser.

Best Burger in Waco? Carl's Jr.

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

"I curse the sun in the summer; burns me up 'til I'm blind,

I curse the cold in the winter, but I don't really mind,

If they asked any money, I would give any money to the sun, and the wind, and the rain to be kind.

Prayed the rain to keep up, but it kept coming down,

Washed my hands of it all, but it's all over town,

I would give any money to see the sky again sunny, but I'll let it rain, really pour,

Salt my tears, let me drown.

 Can the dirt in the ground sprout a seed all alone?

Can the dirt in my heart go away on it's own?

If you asked me for money, I would give you the money to make the rain wash the stain, take my shame and go home, yeah.

 Rain on, (come-a, come-a, come down on me)

Rain on, (come-a, come-a, come down on me)

Rain on, (come-a, come-a, come down on me)

Rain on, (come down on me)

Ooh, the rain kept falling in love, oh, in love."  The 77s

What is your favorite YouTube video of all time?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL7BbWXK8A0]

Baptism this Sunday...

(The following is an edit/update of last year's call for folks wanting to be baptized.) At UBC, baptism is special.

To be sure, it is special for all who follow the way of Jesus.  Baptism is the marker, the statement we make to tell ourselves, each other and the world "I am identifying myself with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and choosing to follow him.  I am handing my entire life to God to do with it whatever God chooses."  We baptize because Jesus was baptized.  We baptize because John the Baptist and Peter and numerous saints along the way have preached "Repent and be baptized!"  In baptism we go under the water, remembering that one day, in death, we will be placed into the ground.  We go under the water also remembering that we are sinking in our sins.  We come out of the water in anticipation of being raised out of the ground, and in recognition of our great need to be raised out of the torrent of sin.

And for us, baptism has taken extra significance.  In 2005, as our friend and pastor Kyle Lake prepared to baptize a member of our congregation, a series of malfunctions occurred and he passed away.  It was a horrific day, a day in which the brokenness of the world was made manifest before our eyes, a tragedy that we have been marked by.  But can I be so bold to say that something beautiful happened that day as well?  In those waters-- waters that represent the passing from  temporary, sin-filled and self-obsessed life, to death, to eternal life with our Creator-- our friend passed from life in this broken world to life in a complete, eternal world.

The sting of death was very real and present on that day, but because of the picture baptism paints for us, we remember that death does not have the final say, Jesus does.  This story is ever present with us when we come to the waters of baptism.

Since that day we have moved baptisms from our building to outdoors.  We offer up Palm Sunday of every year-- the day Christians celebrate Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem to defeat death once-and-for-all-- as the day for those who have not yet been baptized to do so.

If you would like to be baptized on that day, please let us know.  Any of the pastors at UBC would be overjoyed to baptize you.  If there is someone special in the church who you would like to baptize you (Mi Casa leader, Sunday School Teacher, Parent, etc.), we encourage that as well.

If you are interested, please email craig@ubcwaco.org before Friday of this week.

Getting to Know You(bc): Sam Benefield...

 

Age

I'm 20 

Where do you call home?

Texarkana, TX is home for me.

What do you do in Waco?

I am a student at Baylor studying business.

What do you love most about UBC?

What I love most about UBC is the way it takes traditional aspects from other denominations and puts them together.

Favorite Movie?

Good Will Hunting.

Book?

Black, Red, White by Ted Dekker. 

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

I wanted to be an architect when I was little.

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

I want to do something in commercial real estate, build houses, or play in a band.

Favorite artist/band/musician?

U2.

Best Burger in Waco?

Penland Cafeteria on Tuesdays.

Have you had a burger in Waco aside from the Penland Cafeteria?

Actual best burger- Cry Baby burger from George's.

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

I seek genuineness in relationships.

Do you have a secret talent?

I play drums.

What is your favorite YouTube video of all time?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-2pgWTXP9M]

Getting to Know You(bc): Alicia Kobylecky

Age?

23 years old

Where do you call home?

Waco

What do you do in Waco?

I'm working toward my Ph.D. in Educational Psychology.

What do you love most about UBC?

That it's a place for people who doubt, and its congregants seem to genuinely care about each others' well-being.

Favorite Movie?

Lars and the Real Girl

Favorite book/author?

 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

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

a psychotherapist

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

a professor / behavior therapist / researcher / person who supports young women who are "socially different" (basically Aspergirls = portmanteau of Asperger + girl)  via creation of a college-based program for these academically-capable young women who need wraparound social and/or emotional supports

Favorite artist/band/musician?

Natalie Merchant and Carole King

Best Burger in Waco?

I don't know. I'm vegetarian, so burgers aren't really my thing. I do love Food for Thought, though, which has sandwiches and burritos.

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

I'm a feminist who will discuss social justice issues at length, if seemingly prompted, so just tell me if you need to get somewhere anytime soon, if this happens to us.

Since you moved to Waco, what has surprised you most about the city?

The community of writers and artists is so supportive here. That's one of my favorite parts about living in Waco. I saw a flyer for a women's writing circle and have been going ever since then. It seems like the outskirts of Waco and its surrounding towns have a surprising number of ridiculously awesome hippies (e.g., the family that takes care of Enchanted Cedar in Lorena).