Setlist 10-2-2016

This was the twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, and our songs around the theme of our need for God, and God's faithfulness to us.  Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, you can find recordings from Sunday morning of a few of them, and below the recordings, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

All Creatures of Our God and King

Lord, I Need You by Matt Maher

Up On A Mountain by The Welcome Wagon

For Those Tears I Died by Jameson McGregor

Wayward Ones by The Gladsome Light

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme. 

All Creatures of Our God and King: We sang this song to begin our time together acknowledging our interconnectedness with all of creation through our mutual praise of God.  This song was born out of the writing of Saint Francis of Assisi.  He is memorable for many things, but one overarching theme of his life was an awareness of our siblinghood with creatures that are not human.  He extended this familial relationship even to the sun and the moon.  Every created thing bears witness to the work of the Creator, and sings a song in praise of God's sustaining work.  God's sustaining work is ongoing, and we are ever-needful of it.  This song allowed us to begin our liturgy by practicing the correct orientation of our attention.

Lord, I Need You:  This song voices our need for God's help in all aspects of life, but particularly when it comes to doing the things that we should do.  Left to our own devices, we have a tendency to disappoint--or, worse, harm--ourselves and those around us.  Over time, we might find ourselves more permanently formed by the Spirit, but we never get to the point where we do not in fact need God's presence.

Up On A Mountain: This song recalls the story of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, allowing us to meditate on the inner anguish he faced as the time of his death approached.  The point of it is that, when faced with this horror, he was at no point interested in forfeiting the outcome of his death.  He knew it was a long way down.  He knew what was at stake.  And now he is our advocate, and sent the Spirit to be our Comforter.  Because of this, we are not alone, but are held in the mind of God.

For Those Tears I Died: I've played this song once before.  It's consists of equal parts confession, despair, anger, and hope.  When I wrote it, I thought I knew what tragedy it referred to, but it now points to an ever-growing list of tragedies.  I recently recorded an acoustic demo of it, which you can stream here:

this song was written in the summer of 2016 in the wake of a series of tragic events that continues to grow. it is loosely inspired by the Martha Stevens hymn by the same name and includes most of that hymn's chorus.

Wayward Ones: We sing this song every time we take communion to remind ourselves of a couple of things.  First, we are a broken people--though we are seeking to become more like Jesus, we often fail at this.  Second, Christ has given Himself for us despite our brokenness.  We take communion to remember the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf, even though we did not, and do not, deserve it.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos.

-JM

ITLOTC 9-30-16

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Pentecost

The Importance of Owning a Mistake

I wrote these first two paragraphs back in January of 2014.  I’d like to reclaim them and issue another apology.

As a child, I grew up tucked away on three acres on Mabel Lake.  Cable television would have never (and still hasn't) reached that remote part of the universe, and a satellite dish was, at the time, about 13 feet in diameter and a luxury that a small town pastor's family could not afford.  Our sole chance at being entertained was provided by a spotty antenna that delivered ABC, CBS, NBC, and PBS in the spring.

As antennas improved, I was able to watch CBS on a small TV in my room.  Though it was scrambled, I could hear clearly and made a habit out of listening to David Letterman.  It became a ritual for me.  Though I generally thought Leno had better guests, I loved Letterman's timing even if I didn't understand the socio-political state of the world was sometimes required to get his dry humor.

Ever since then, I have been a Letterman person, and, so I was disappointed back in 2009 when he was accused and found guilty of having an affair.  I'll never forget, though, when he went on the air the weekend after the story broke and apologized.  He was direct and to the point.  He didn't try and pad the news or offer an excuse.  He just owned it.  Though his mistake remained, his apology was an anomaly in the world of celebrity.  I found it inspiring.  With professional athletes denying performance enhancing drug allegations and politicians covering up scandals, here was a guy who completely accepted his problem fully and publicly from the get-go.  Growing up, when I'd witness something similar, I'd note to myself how I felt and determined that if I was ever in a position to offer an apology, I would.

This last Sunday I included information from a New York Times article to make the point that listening to those who disagree with us is an act of love.  The article is about a book written by a Berkeley sociology professor who leans left in her politics.  The subject of her book is a group of Tea Party supporters.  I was moved by her generosity in writing about and in understanding them.  Her research and writing stands out to me as an act of love in what seems like an otherwise loveless political climate.  

To set up this example in my sermon, I made the following statement, “I picked this example because my guess is that most of the people here will either vote for Hillary Clinton or against Donald Trump.”  I’m aware of how contentious politics can be and how important it is for the church to be a place that rises above that tension.  For that reason, I usually give a lot of thought and am very specific in the language I use when I do talk about politics which is, in my recollection, rare.  That being said, I didn’t put a lot of thought into my statement.  I just jotted it down on Thursday afternoon trying to keep up with the stream of consciousness unfolding in my head.  

Friends are people who care enough about you to help you see what you did not or cannot.  I had a conversation with one of those friends this week.  She told me that she thought the statement, however I might have intended it, probably had the effect of isolating folks in our community who will vote for Donald Trump.  I had not considered that, so I sat with that thought for 24 hours, and after reflecting on it, decided she was correct.  I could have preached the same point without that qualifying statement.  UBC has entrusted me to speak about God.  That is a gift I never want to take for granted.  While I wish that meant I never got it wrong, that is not possible.  What is possible, though, is for me to apologize.  So I would like to apologize.  I am sorry for not handling that moment with more thoughtfulness and care.  I would also like to thank you all for listening patiently and for making room for me to grow in my own discipleship.  

Leadership Team Nomination

Friends, one David "Doctor" Wilhite's stint on the leadership team is coming to an end.  During his term, David got Wil-Care passed, helped balance the church budget and was instrumental in shaping for our foreign policy in Thailand as we withdrew from the Dominican Republic.  Thanks for the years of service Doctor.  That means we are looking for leadership team nominations.  If you would like to nominate someone for the leadership team, please note the following and send nominations to josh@ubcwaco.org.  

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

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

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

St. Francis Day/Blessing of the Animals

On Tuesday, October 4, at 5:30 PM, we will have a short liturgy in observance of Saint Francis Day in the Backside.  As a part of that liturgy, we will have a blessing of the animals.  Since the service will be inside, we will not ask you to bring you animals in the flesh.  Instead, you can either bring a photo of your pet, or email one to jamie@ubcwaco.org. 

Design Survey

The aesthetics team is gearing up for a re-design of the foyer and hallways.  Since these spaces are the first you experience when you enter the building, we want to hear about what you value most about the current design so we can maintain those elements in the new design.  You will find a design survey at ubcwaco.org/designsurvey, and it will be active until October 16th.  

Parents Night Out

Was George W. Bush still president the last time you and your sig other had a night to yourselves?  Do yourself volunteering to take the kids to practice just so you can sleep in the car?  You need a night out.  UBC is hosing a parents night out on Friday October 7th from 6-9 P.M. There will be sign up in the church lobby this Sunday or you can email josh@ubcwaco.org to let him know you are interested.  

Made in Waco

We are just over a month away from Made in Waco, ubc's handmade market.  If you are interested in being a vendor, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org for more info and an application.

Free Health Care

CASA 5K

We don't normally advertise for outside organizations, but we're including this one.  CASA, which stands for court appointed special advocate, is an organization that develops leaders to lobby for the welfare of foster children in our judicial system.  They, the good people at CASA, are hosting an extravaganza that is laid out in the nifty picture below.  Please consider going.  

Work is Worship

Greeters: Blaylocks 

Coffee Makers: Chad

Mug Cleaners: Chase Potter 

Money Counter: Justin Pond 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: Psalm 137 "The Place for Anger in Discipleship" 
• Family Tailgate at the Soccer Game Night: Oct 14th 
• SWCC Halloween Bash: October 19th 
• Fall Retreat for Juniors and Seniors: October 20-23
• Order of Phoenix Game Night: Nov 4th 
• Made in Waco: Nov 5th 
• Thanksgiving Love Feast: Nov 20th 
• Backside Event: Dec 2nd 
• Order of Phoenix Dallas Event: Dec. 3
• Study Hall: Dec 7th 
• We are gearing up for another school year which means we will resume our work with Cesar Chavez middle school.  If you would like to mentor a student or serve the middle school in another capacity email marshall@ubcwaco.org 

Do you have an emergency and need to talk to a pastor? 

254 413 2611

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- Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.com

Joy Wineman: joy.wineman@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

David Wilhite: David_Wilhite@baylor.edu

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

UBC Finance Team

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

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas_mcnamee@baylor.edu

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.

Maxcey Blaylock: maxceykite@gmail.com

Mathew Crawford: mathewcrawford@yahoo.com

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Liturgy 9-25-2016

This blog is a record of the call to worship, Scripture readings, and prayers from our Sunday liturgies.  If you are interested in writing something for the liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

Holy God, we have come to learn to trust in Your protection

Teach us to find rest
under Your wings

We have come to learn to have faith in Your promises

Teach us that fields
from which we will not reap
are not a sunk cost

We have come to learn to live in Your provision

Teach us to open our hands
so that we may take hold of the life
that really is life.

Amen

Scripture

Amos 8:4-7

Hear this, you that trample on the needy,
and bring to ruin the poor of the land,
saying, "When will the new moon be over
so that we may sell grain;
and the sabbath,
so that we may offer wheat for sale?

We will make the ephah small and the shekel great,
and practice deceit with false balances,
buying the poor for silver
and the needy for a pair of sandals,
and selling the sweepings of the wheat."

The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.

Luke 16:1-16

Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.' Then the manager said to himself, `What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.'

So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, `How much do you owe my master?' He answered, `A hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, `Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.' Then he asked another, `And how much do you owe?' He replied, `A hundred containers of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill and make it eighty.' And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

"Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him. So he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.

Prayer

This week's prayer was written by Val Fisk:

Lord God, you are Mother of our souls, Giver of our passions, Forgiver of our sins, Healer of our hurts. 

Teach us to be dangerously vulnerable. 

Forgive us for our refusal to show our brokenness to one another. Forgive us for our refusal to see the brokenness that lies behind the eyes of those across the table, across the aisle, and across the room from us. Forgive us for our refusal to acknowledge the brokenness that looks back at us from the mirror. Forgive us our failure to ask for help, and our failure to ask how we can be helping. 

Mother God, teach us to be dangerously vulnerable with you and with your people. Teach us to admit our failings, our pain, and our fears, to you and to those in this community whom you have placed as vessels of your loving care. Teach us to shout, “I’m not okay!” so that someone else can catch us as we fall. Teach us to catch the weight of brokenness tenderly, with the willingness to sooth one another’s tears the way a parent soothes the cries of their young child. 

Our souls are tired, Lord. Tired of pretending “No, really, I’m fine.” Tired of pretending that we have it all handled. Tired of the death, the destruction, and the insensitivity of the world surrounding us. Tired of hearing human lives compared to inanimate objects like poisoned candy, tired of seeing men murdered because of the color of their skin, tired of seeing children’s broken bodies in ambulances after bombs rip through their homes, tired of hearing women shout “I SAID NO” while others ask “But what were you wearing?” Teach us to lament for and with these people, breaking our hearts for each broken person, each made in your image. 

My soul is tired, Lord. My heart is broken. I feel wobbly. On days when I feel wobbly, teach me to trust you. Show me your presence through your people – these people of UBC. Teach me to be dangerously vulnerable with my hurt, my anger, my frustration, my brokenness, and my sin. Teach me to stand for you by standing alongside of your community, shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, holding one another up with tender care. If I stand, let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through. If I can’t, let me fall on the grace that first brought me to you. And teach me to give that grace to each person I meet, each soul I encounter, and each broken heart that is entrusted to me by you. 

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Teach us to embrace the beauty of brokenness today by embracing one another. 

Amen. 

ITLOTC 9-23-16

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Pentecost

From Movement to Institution

In 1984, Roxanne Quimby found Burt Shavitz on the side of a Maine country highway.  Shavitz was selling honey out of the back of his truck.  Shavitz was an earthy hippie, Quimby an ambitious entrepreneur who wanted to get into the candle-made-from-beeswax business.  The two formed a friendship and a business relationship.  Shavitz turned out to be the perfect image for the product line.  Burt’s Bees would eventually develop several market segments ranging from personal care items to household decorations.  

Their progress was remarkable.  They started in a one-room school house they rented from a friend for $150 a year.  That space quickly became insufficient.  The company’s value went from $200 at the Dover-Foxcroft Junior High School craft fair to $20,0000 by the end of the first year.  In 1989, Quimby and Shavitz got a huge break when the New York boutique Zona ordered several hundred of their beeswax candles.  

The business continued to grow, and then four years later in 1993, Burt decided it had grown too much.  The business had gotten too far from his truck on the side of a Maine highway.  For Shavitz, the integrity of the product was called into question.  Quimby didn’t feel the same way; she wanted to keep growing.  So Shavitz called it quits.  Quimby went on to become a multimillionaire.  

On Sunday, I voiced something that I saw developing in the room during the town hall. All the conversations were derived from the same place.  UBC is growing.  

We’ve never put a premium on growing.  We’ve never had a church marketing plan. We’ve never talked about strategies to grow or increase giving.  All of that seemed inconsistent with who we said we are.  With time, though, our reluctance for using those kinds of mechanisms has probably dwindled.  In a lot of ways, we’ve found that there are some pretty good wheels that don’t need reinventing.  Something is happening and has been happening at UBC for a long time.  Another Burt—Burt Burleson—gave the language to understand it a long time ago.  He said every movement eventually becomes an institution.  

On Sunday, we talked about redesigning and managing our space, our increased need for volunteers, our need to improve systems within the church, and our need for more resources to be put toward the children’s ministry, including the possibility of hiring a full-time children’s pastor.  If you weren’t able to attend the town hall this last Sunday and have strong opinions on any of that, we invite you to email someone from leadership, finance, or HR.  

In some ways, UBC finds herself in the place Burt Shavitz was in 1993.  We have to decide if these changes take us too far from our ethos.  

I want to submit that UBC’s gift has always been an ability to do old things in new ways.  We find the language and the narrative framework to renew our sense of wonder and worship as we pick the color of the carpet.  I think it is possible to grow and grow with our existing identity, but we need to do it thoughtfully and prayerfully.  So please join me, the staff, and our teams as we prayerfully move through these decisions.  

Fall Retreat (Juniors/Seniors)

If you are an upperclassmen, we would love for you to come on our Fall Retreat this year.  We will leave Thursday night, October 20th, and you can come back Saturday evening or Sunday evening.  The cost of the retreat is $20.  Space is limited, so the first 19 who sign-up and turn in their money will be given priority.  If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org.  Sign-up sheets will be in the foyer this Sunday.  

SWCC Halloween Festival

It is that time of year again, our annual Halloween Festival with the South Waco Community Center is fast approaching.  Be sure to put October 19th down on your calendar.  We will have sign-ups starting this week, and we will need close to 100 volunteers this year.  If you have any questions, please contact 

Backside

We are hosting the first of two Backside open mic/open wall events tonight at 7pm.  If you are a musician, poet, storyteller, visual artist, etc., this is a night for you to share your gifts with the community.  If you aren't a creative type, this is a night for you to engage the beauty that our congregation is creating.  Also, there will be coffee and baked goods.  So if you roast coffee or bake things, feel free to showcase those arts as well!  If you have questions, or want to sign up, email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Satan Slayer Basketball

he Slayers bounced back from a disappointing loss last week with hard fought overtime victory, 90-78, over the Episcopalians.  The 1 - 3 play of point guard Adam Tilson and small forward Jonathon White was reminiscent of Westbrook and Durant when they were still together in OKC.  Tilson looked like General George Washington controlling tempo, pace, and delivering the seasons first triple double.  And what can we say about Jonathon White?  To quote assistant coach David Wilhite, "he's (White) the next Larry Bird."  We'll see, but White's three point shot ability the penetrate had the Slayers flying.  

The Slayers will be back in action this next Thursday night as they take on a though Presbyterian team.  Their motto?  "Predestined to win!" 

CASA 5K

We don't normally advertise for outside organizations, but we're including this one.  CASA, which stands for court appointed special advocate, is an organization that develops leaders to lobby for the welfare of foster children in our judicial system.  They, the good people at CASA, are hosting an extravaganza that is laid out in the nifty picture below.  Please consider going.  

Work is Worship

Greeters: Rachael, Carson, Christian 

Coffee Makers: Emmy & Stephen 

Mug Cleaners: Dilan & Shane

Money Counter: Anna Tilson 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon:  Luke 16:19-31 "when will you hear?" 
• Backside Event: Sept 23rd 
• New UBCer Luncheon: Sept 25
• St. Francis Feast Day/Blessing of the Animals: Oct 4th 
• Parents Night Out (Date Night): Oct 7th
• Family Tailgate at the Soccer Game Night: Oct 14th 
• SWCC Halloween Bash: October 19th 
• Fall Retreat for Juniors and Seniors: October 20-23
• Order of Phoenix Game Night: Nov 4th 
• Made in Waco: Nov 5th 
• Thanksgiving Love Feast: Nov 20th 
• Backside Event: Dec 2nd 
• Order of Phoenix Dallas Event: Dec. 3
• Study Hall: Dec 7th 
• We are gearing up for another school year which means we will resume our work with Cesar Chavez middle school.  If you would like to mentor a student or serve the middle school in another capacity email marshall@ubcwaco.org 

Do you have an emergency and need to talk to a pastor? 

254 413 2611

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- Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.com

Joy Wineman: joy.wineman@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

David Wilhite: David_Wilhite@baylor.edu

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

UBC Finance Team

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

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas_mcnamee@baylor.edu

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.

Maxcey Blaylock: maxceykite@gmail.com

Mathew Crawford: mathewcrawford@yahoo.com

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Liturgy 9-18-2016

This blog is a record of the call to worship, Scripture readings, and prayers from our Sunday liturgies.  If you are interested in writing something for the liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

We have gathered seeking a Healer,

One who might mend
the most broken parts of us
And restore our failing loves

So that we can fully love God and all people

And spread our healing beyond ourselves

Though it may take a lifetime,

We have come today
to learn to follow Christ
And to be formed in his way

Amen.

Scripture

Amos 8:4-7

Hear this, you that trample on the needy,
and bring to ruin the poor of the land,
saying, "When will the new moon be over
so that we may sell grain;
and the sabbath,
so that we may offer wheat for sale?

We will make the ephah small and the shekel great,
and practice deceit with false balances,
buying the poor for silver
and the needy for a pair of sandals,
and selling the sweepings of the wheat."

The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.

Luke 16:1-16

Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.' Then the manager said to himself, `What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.'

So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, `How much do you owe my master?' He answered, `A hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, `Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.' Then he asked another, `And how much do you owe?' He replied, `A hundred containers of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill and make it eighty.' And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

"Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him. So he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.

“The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force.”

Prayer

This week's prayer was:

God, in the midst of uncertainty, teach us to cling to You.

In a world afflicted with various kinds of violence, teach us to mourn with those who mourn and to love our enemies.

When we find ourselves hemmed in by darkness, tune our eyes to see the beauty that You have woven into the world, and teach us to embrace it and lift it up.

And as the tides of life threaten to wear us thin, we ask that Your Spirit would renew us that we might learn to live fully.

Amen.

Setlist 9-18-2016

This was the eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, and our songs around the theme of discipleship.  Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, you can find recordings from Sunday morning of a few of them, and below the recordings, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

Just A Closer Walk With Thee

Death in His Grave by John Mark McMillan

Fall Afresh by Jeremy Riddle

Heart With No Companion by Leonard Cohen

Pulse by Jameson McGregor

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme. 

Just A Closer Walk With Thee:  We sang this song to begin our time together by expressing a desire to be more fully formed in the way of Christ. Of particular note is the second stanza, which highlights that we are not left to carry the burden of our failures in following Christ alone.  

Death In His Grave:  This song rehearses the story of Jesus' defeat of death.  We sang it because the whole of the Christian faith hinges on the resurrection of Jesus.  Within this song, we celebrate the self-emptying of Jesus for our sake, showing us what love looks like, as well as the power of the resurrection to break the fundamental cycle of life and death.  This is the story that we are seeking to model as followers of Christ, constantly dying and rising in different ways, hoping to learn something about life and love.

Fall Afresh: We sang this song to acknowledge our dependence upon the renewal of the Spirit to grow as followers of Jesus.  Be it on a great or small scale, we all experience the cycle of renewal and stagnation in the life of faith--the cycle in which our brains seek out an easier status quo than we are called to--and we thus continually need the help of the Spirit to pull us forward.

Heart With No Companion: This song is a love letter from God to the afflicted that offers the shattered Love of God to those who feel like their lives lack meaning. It carries within it a promise that those who experience the existential anguish of not being able to be what they know they have been created to be have not been forgotten.  Furthermore, it is a message that who you are and what you do are two very different things (in the song, you have a captain with no ship, a mother with no children, a prima ballerina with no dancing, etc.).  Within the context of this week's songs, it is a word to the person who feels like they aren't "good" at being a follower of Christ, reminding them that they carry an identity that transcends their religious prowess.

Pulse: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about Pulse then:  We sang this song to acknowledge the presence of the Spirit in every living thing, to petition God to reconnect our awareness to this interconnectivity, and to show us what this means for the way we love one another.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos.

-JM

ITLOTC 9-16-16

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Pentecost

Town Hall Agenda

UBC holds quarterly leadership team meeting (July, October, January, April).  We hold a town hall a month before where we give up to date information about what will be discussed at that meeting.    That October meeting town hall will be this Sunday after church.  Here are the items on the agenda.  

Finance Update

We will give numbers thus far in the 2016-17 budget year. 

Children's Pastor Search Update

We will give you an update on the future of this of this position both in regards to whether or not it should be expanded and also what the search process will look like.  We would also like for you to give feedback on these matters.  

Discernment Team Update

The discernment team has done a bunch of great work and research.  Our chair Breck Gamel would like to share some of those findings with you. 

Aesthetics Update

Jamie will lead us in a discussion on how to give input on some of the changes being proposed for our building. 

Sabbatical/Mission Update

Toph will share a few things he learned on sabbatical and give us an update on UBC mission work. 

Family Weekend Breakfast

Sunday is our annual family weekend breakfast.  If your parents are in town visiting for the weekend, we would love to meet them. This is a chance to say: "look mom dad, I have already found a church. Aren't you proud of me?!"  So, if you are student, being your parents to breakfast. Breakfast will at 9:30 on Sunday morning.

If you are not a student, we need your help.  There will be a sign-up list in the foyer on Sunday with items we need: juice, milk, pigs n a blanket, fruit salad, yogurt, etc...  We need you all to help provide the breakfast, so make sure to sign-up.  If you have any questions please email 

Backside

We are hosting the first of two Backside open mic/open wall events on Friday, September 23rd, at 7pm.  If you are a musician, poet, storyteller, visual artist, etc., this is a night for you to share your gifts with the community.  If you aren't a creative type, this is a night for you to engage the beauty that our congregation is creating.  Also, there will be coffee and baked goods.  So if you roast coffee or bake things, feel free to showcase those arts as well!  If you have questions, or want to sign up, email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

CASA 5K

We don't normally advertise for outside organizations, but we're including this one.  CASA, which stands for court appointed special advocate, is an organization that develops leaders to lobby for the welfare of foster children in our judicial system.  They, the good people at CASA, are hosting an extravaganza that is laid out in the nifty picture below.  Please consider going.  

Slayers Converted to a loss by Missionary Baptists 

The Slayers dropped a game to Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 82-71, bringing their record to an even 1-1.  Coach Toph Whisnant complimented the squad on a valiant effort, but was also forthright about their sloppy play.  "We had some turnovers, we got to get better."  Conditioning may also have been a concern, couple of the slayers, namely the older ones, looked like they needed an oxygen machines.  AMB scored a number of points on fast breaks.  Their blistering pace reminded some Paul Westmead's 89-90 Loyla Marymount squad.

Highlights for the Slayers included the defensive play of Justin Begnoche who is an early front runner for church league DPOTY.  Shane Ward found his stroke early on lighting it up from 19.9 throughout the game and at one point hitting a critical 3 to bring the slayers within striking distance with a minute left.  When asked about what would be done in practice this week Coach Whisnant said,  "The guys are going to run this week.  We might get beat again, but not because of conditioning.  Except for Dimitri Peterson, he hustled."  

The Slayers will be back in action next Thursday as they prepare for a stout Episcopal team.  Their motto, "if the sacraments don't sanctify you, our game will."

Work is Worship

Greeters: Will & The Richardsons 

Coffee Makers: Madison

Mug Cleaners: KT and Yakob

Money Counter: Josh M 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon:  Luke 16:1-13ish "wait, what did Jesus say?"
• Mi Casa Leader Training: Sept 18
• Family Weekend Breakfast: Sept 18
• Town Hall: Sept 18
• New UBCer Luncheon: Sept 25
• Backside Event: Sept 23rd 
• St. Francis Feast Day/Blessing of the Animals: Oct 4th 
• Parents Night Out (Date Night): Oct 7th
• Family Tailgate at the Soccer Game Night: Oct 14th 
• SWCC Halloween Bash: October 19th 
• Fall Retreat for Juniors and Seniors: October 20-23
• Made in Waco: Nov 5th 
• Thanksgiving Love Feast: Nov 20th 
• Backside Event: Dec 2nd 
• Study Hall: Dec 7th 
• We are gearing up for another school year which means we will resume our work with Cesar Chavez middle school.  If you would like to mentor a student or serve the middle school in another capacity email marshall@ubcwaco.org 

Do you have an emergency and need to talk to a pastor? 

254 413 2611

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- Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.com

Joy Wineman: joy.wineman@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

David Wilhite: David_Wilhite@baylor.edu

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

UBC Finance Team

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

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas_mcnamee@baylor.edu

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.

Maxcey Blaylock: maxceykite@gmail.com

Mathew Crawford: mathewcrawford@yahoo.com

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

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Liturgy 9-11-2016

This blog is a record of the call to worship, Scripture readings, and prayers from our Sunday liturgies.  If you are interested in writing something for the liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

Create clean hearts in us, and renew our spirits,

You who are quick to forgive
and slow to anger.

Make us into new creatures

With eyes calibrated with compassion
And tongues tuned to Your song.

Shine Your love on us

teach us to reflect it
toward one another
and back to You,
until nothing is the same.

Amen

Scripture

Exodus 32:7-14

The Lord said to Moses, "Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, `These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'" The Lord said to Moses, "I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation."

But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, "O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, `It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people.

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, `I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'" And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.

Luke 15:1-10

All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."

So he told them this parable: "Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

"Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Prayer

This week's prayer was written by Mike Robinson:

Lord, on this 15th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks, we pause to remember, mourn, and plead.  We pause to remember those thousands of innocents who died on this day so long ago (as well as those not so innocent); we pause to remember that they were more than names or even faces on computer screens, or televisions, or printed pages; like us, they were living, breathing, laughing, hoping, seeking human beings—women and men, girls and boys, who died because of tainted ideologies and disregard for human life.    We also remember the thousands upon thousands who have died since that time for similar reasons, in the Middle East and beyond—and for those who have been and continue to be injured, displaced, disenfranchised, ignored, and hated.  Lord, we remember them this day.  Forgive us when we forget.

We also pause to mourn—to mourn for those who died or who continue to suffer.  Lord, at UBC, we seek to love you, to embrace beauty, and to live life to the fullest; yet we lament our own failure and the failure of others to love; we grieve over the ugliness that often scars your world; and we cry out against the brokenness that interrupts abundant living—the hatred, selfishness, obsessions, and violence within ourselves and others.  Lord, help us grieve as you grieve for this world you love. 

God, we also plead; we plead for your salvation, your healing, your forgiveness, your peace, your righteousness, your justice.  We petition you for our own redemption, and the redemption of our communities, our nation, our world.  We even pray for our enemies—the perpetrators of these crimes in the past and in the present.  (God, these words are not easy to say and even harder to mean; but we say them and seek to mean them for your glory).  Redeem our enemies from their own violence, their selfishness, fear, poverty, and hopelessness—even as you are redeeming us from these sins and their consequences.  May our enemies come to love you (and others), embrace beauty, and live life to the fullest!  And may we do the same.  Amen!

Setlist 9-11-2016

This was the seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, and our songs were gathered around the theme of reconciliation.  Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, you can find recordings from Sunday morning of a few of them, and below the recordings, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

How Great Thou Art

Pulse by Jameson McGregor

There by Jameson McGregor

Hope by Jameson McGregor

There's a Wideness in God's Mercy by Jameson McGregor (adapted from F. Faber)

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme. 

How Great Thou Art: This song is essentially three pairs of observations about how God chooses to be God for us and a response of praise.  In it, we find language that helps us marvel at the scope of God's redemption project--from the inception of the cosmos to the moment where things are finally set right.  In singing this song, we rehearsed identifying greatness for what it is, and in this case that means seeking to draw near to one's enemies and repair broken relationships (that's one of the running themes throughout the story that God is telling).

Pulse: We sang this song to acknowledge the presence of the Spirit in every living thing, to petition God to reconnect our awareness to this interconnectivity, and to show us what this means for the way we love one another.

There: This song establishes God as standing apart from every source of anxiety or conflict that we encounter.  Though God is in fact with us in our affliction, God is anchored outside of it.  This means that we have a well-founded hope when we root our hope in God.  As Reconciler, God is drawing us into the place of security where God dwells.

Hope: We sang this song to affirm that God has set a light in the darkness that the darkness did not overcome.  We hang our hope on this light, carrying it into the darkness, knowing that the story that God is telling does not end in darkness, but light.  

There's A Wideness in God's Mercy: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at the songs from two weeks ago (I was on vacation last Sunday).  This is what we said about There's A Wideness in God's Mercy then: We sang this song to begin our time together by thinking about the wideness of God's mercy and the breadth of God's love.  More specifically, in terms of the theme that unites this week's songs, the fact that our deficiencies are precisely what place us in the path of God's love.  Despite our tendency to attempt to construct boundaries around the love of God, the love of God transcends our limitations and reaches those who deserve it least by even the most generous human standards.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos.

-JM

ITLOTC 9-9-16

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Pentecost

Letter From Emily

Dear UBC Family, 

I want to begin by saying that I am humbled and amazed by our community.  The way that we have come to embrace the inception and growth of a ministry to the smallest among us has been a beautiful thing to be a part of!  Whether you have supported the children’s ministry directly or indirectly, our community has enabled the growth of a precious ministry that facilitates the teaching of children to be formed in the way of Christ, embrace beauty and live missionally.   

These past four years of my service have been an immense honor and source of joy for me.  I have loved watching these children grow and learn and, in turn, I have also grown, been stretched, and been fed in the process.  In addition, getting to work with so many wonderful volunteers during my time as the UBCKids Pastor has been a gift.  You have all made me proud to be a part of such a loving and unique community!  Since I have taken this position, we have seen the UBCKids ministry grow by nearly three-fold to almost 150 kids…through the birth of new babies and the addition of new families, we are now bursting at the seams!  This is, no doubt, a testament to the great love that is shared with the kids who come into our classes each Sunday…our community is growing and changing before our eyes!  Thank you for all that you have done to enable the kids of UBC’s spiritual development along the way.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of what we have established! 

On that note, I want you to know that this Sunday I will be publicly announcing my resignation as the UBCKids Pastor.  This has been an incredibly difficult decision that my husband and I have been grappling with, praying about and laboring over for months; but we believe it is the right decision for our family, myself and the ministry as a whole.  UBCKids stands at a crossroads as we look toward the VERY bright future of the ministry.  From where we stand now, we and the larger leadership bodies of UBC agree that it is time for the position of the UBCKids Pastor to grow and change to match the needs of the children and families it serves.  With these important changes in mind, Jeremy and I feel that UBCKids needs more than we can currently give at this point in our lives and in the lives of our children.  Even though October 15th will be my last day as UBCKids Pastor, it doesn’t mean that we will no longer be a part of the UBC community, nor will we no longer serve with UBCKids and other areas within UBC!  Jeremy and I both look forward to continuing to serve our community in any way we can.     

It is incredible to think that only 7 years ago UBC hired our first Children’s Pastor and only 10 years ago we had around 10 kids each Sunday!  I am honored and humbled to be included in the ongoing story of the growth and development of UBCKids!  I cannot tell you how blessed I have been to be your UBCKids Pastor and friend and I look forward to the opportunity to continuing to serve UBC in a new capacity!

Thank you, again, for this opportunity and for all of those things that I cannot begin to put into words!

Sincerely~

Emily Nance

The Order of the Phoenix

This last Wednesday UBC had our first UBC Youth middle school Mi Casa. The first executive order of this group was to change their name to The Order of the Phoenix.  We ate food, played games, shared stories and prayer requests.  After a few weeks of introductions we will begin our study on Philippians together.  If you have a middle school child that would like to join our mi casa group please email josh@ubcwaco.org. 

Family Weekend Breakfast

Next weekend, September 18th, is our annual family weekend breakfast.  If your parents are in town visiting for the weekend, we would love to meet them. This is a chance to say: "look mom dad, I have already found a church. Aren't you proud of me?!"  So, if you are student, being your parents to breakfast. Breakfast will at 9:30 on Sunday morning.

If you are not a student, we need your help.  There will be a sign-up list in the foyer on Sunday with items we need: juice, milk, pigs n a blanket, fruit salad, yogurt, etc...  We need you all to help provide the breakfast, so make sure to sign-up.  If you have any questions please email toph@ubcwaco.org 

Empty Nester Event

Our fearless ecclesiological veterans ... that is the group we affectionately refer to as "old people" ... even though some of them go as young as 50ish ... are gathering for a extravaganza that they'd like you to know about.  The Empty Nesters are meeting for dinner at Ninfas on Saturday, September 17th @ 6:30 PM.  Those interested in joining should email stan_denman@baylor.edu. 

Post-College Women's Group

Moms, grad students, and/or all the single ladies looking for sisterhood?  On Monday, September 19th 8:00 Lindsay Carney will be hosting  an evening to learn more about women's groups for the fall.  Please email her lindsay.r.carney@gmail.com for more information.   

Backside

We are hosting the first of two Backside open mic/open wall events on Friday, September 23rd, at 7pm.  If you are a musician, poet, storyteller, visual artist, etc., this is a night for you to share your gifts with the community.  If you aren't a creative type, this is a night for you to engage the beauty that our congregation is creating.  Also, there will be coffee and baked goods.  So if you roast coffee or bake things, feel free to showcase those arts as well!  If you have questions, or want to sign up, email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Common Grounds Show

Jamie is playing a show with a band called Tow'rs on Thursday, September 15th, at 8pm.  You can learn more here.

Satan Slayers Basketball Squad Slays

The UBC Satan Slayers took the court last night for their first regular season action.  The Slayers came away with a convincing 62-40 win.  All scorers were led by the true junior from China Spring, TX, small forward Jonathan White who was picked up off waivers this off season. Other highlights included graduate student Adam Tilson's point guard play.  I haven't seen that much pretty passing since Peyton Manning was 37.  Tilson finished with 11 dimes.  We tried to contact head coach Toph Whisnant for comments, but he didn't come to the game.  Instead he went to a wedding.  Sixth man Trevor Carlson drained a couple of treys to extend the lead and of course Tower of Power David Wilhite dominated the boards.  The Slayers look to regroup as they prepare for an undefeated Assembly of God team next week.  Their slogan?  The Spirit moves and so do we. 

Work is Worship

Greeters: Julia & Ricky 

Coffee Makers: Joy & Ryan 

Mug Cleaners: JT and Yakob 

Money Counter: Doug

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon:  Luke 15:1-10 "will you join the party?" 
• New Volunteer Training (CC Middle School and Children's Ministry): Sept. 11 
• Common Grounds Show: Jameson McGregor and Tow'rs: Sept 15
• Mi Casa Leader Training: Sept 18
• Family Weekend Breakfast: Sept 18
• Town Hall: Sept 18
• New UBCer Luncheon: Sept 25
• Backside Event: Sept 23rd 
• St. Francis Feast Day/Blessing of the Animals: Oct 4th 
• SWCC Halloween Bash: October 19th 
• Fall Retreat for Juniors and Seniors: October 20-23
• Made in Waco: Nov 5th 
• Thanksgiving Love Feast: Nov 20th 
• Backside Event: Dec 2nd 
• Study Hall: Dec 7th 
• We are gearing up for another school year which means we will resume our work with Cesar Chavez middle school.  If you would like to mentor a student or serve the middle school in another capacity email marshall@ubcwaco.org 

Do you have an emergency and need to talk to a pastor? 

254 413 2611

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- Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.com

Joy Wineman: joy.wineman@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

David Wilhite: David_Wilhite@baylor.edu

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

UBC Finance Team

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

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas_mcnamee@baylor.edu

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.

Maxcey Blaylock: maxceykite@gmail.com

Mathew Crawford: mathewcrawford@yahoo.com

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Liturgy 9-4-2016

This blog is a record of the call to worship, Scripture readings, and prayers from our Sunday liturgies.  If you are interested in writing something for the liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

Today we have gathered to worship the Creator

the One who is before all things
yet casts care on the smallest of creatures

hoping to better understand what it is to follow Christ

the One who shows us
that real power is made perfect
in weakness

seeking to be formed into Kingdom people

people who place others before ourselves
and find strength in vulnerability

Amen.

Scripture

Jeremiah 18:1-11

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: "Come, go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words." So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it.

And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it. Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the Lord: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

Revelation 13

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads; and on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names.  And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great authority.  

 One of its heads seemed to have received a death-blow, but its mortal wound had been healed. In amazement the whole earth followed the beast.  They worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

The beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.  It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.  Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. It was given authority over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all the inhabitants of the earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slaughtered.

Let anyone who has an ear listen:

If you are to be taken captive,
    into captivity you go;
if you kill with the sword,
    with the sword you must be killed.

Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

Then I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.  It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed.  

 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of all; and by the signs that it is allowed to perform on behalf of the beast, it deceives the inhabitants of earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived; and it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast could even speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.  

 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is six hundred sixty-six.

Prayer

This week's prayer was written by Emily Mosher:

Creator God,

Some of us looked around at your world this morning and felt excitement at its beauty and possibility.

Others of us woke up feeling the pain of its brokenness and wondering, "How much longer?"

Some of us walked into this space eager to speak and serve and praise.

Others came desperately needing just a space to sit in silence and catch a glimpse of Your grace. 

Whatever brought us, we have all come longing to find something more than a building, expecting to find your presence in a unique way. 

Thank you for being the God who is always here, the One who both rejoices and mourns with us. 

I pray you will continue shaping us into a people where all are welcome and where all are needed. 

A people who have the courage to be vulnerable, to share our pain, to do the uncomfortable task of asking for help. 

A people who have the compassion to listen quietly to the gift of another person's story, to be present in times of heartache, and to act when help when needed. 

Please whisper hope into all of our hearts this mornings and form us into a community that makes your love known to one another and throughout the world. 

Amen.

ITLOTC 9-2-16

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Pentecost

The  Patience to Listen

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said,

“The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them. Just as love of God begins with listening to His word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. It is God’s love for us that He not only gives us His word, but also lends us His ear… Christians, especially ministers, so often think they must always contribute something when they’re in the company of others, that this is the one service they have to render. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking. Many people are looking for an ear that will listen. He who can no longer listen to his brother will soon be no longer listening to God either. This is the beginning of the death of the spiritual life.”

I will tell you a story about when I first began to listen.  I was in college and a friend had invited me to a debate.  The debate was between a Catholic priest and a Baptist pastor.  I wasn’t Baptist, but it was clear from the content that I was in his corner.  We understood the basics of salvation the same way.  We (the Baptist pastor and me) agreed that no one was getting saved with any kind of effort.  The experience was exhilarating.  Every time I felt like the Baptist pastor had made an indisputable point, which was about every time he spoke, I’d look up for nodding heads and nonverbal amens.  Tensions were mounting, and sides were forming.  It was a microcosm of religious war right there in Bethlehem Baptist Church in downtown St. Paul.  

We left that debate, my friend, his sister, his sister’s fiance and me.  On the way home, I made a startling discovery.  They were all Catholic.  I tried to remember all of the comments and body gestures I had made over the course of the debate.  Had I offended them?  I was sure I had.  

Despite what I did and said, my Catholic friends were generous.  Brendan was the name of the soon to be brother-in-law.  He gently and indirectly communicated that one of his favorite lines from Assisi’s instrument of peace prayer is, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”  That was a powerful suggestion to me.  Even though I had not done that, I resolved to start.  I decided I was going to try my hardest to listen first.  

This week, I read a story about a person making a political statement.  I was annoyed.  “Theatrics,” I told myself.  I completely dismissed the content of his message.  In fact, I didn’t even read it.  I just judged.  Later this week, I was reading an article about this political statement and then I read the comments.  They were predictable.  Two sides with opposite and sometimes visceral opinions talking past each other.  No one used direct insults; they used condescension instead.  I was taking the bait even though I didn’t write a comment.  I was cheerleading the good ones in my head.  And then I saw that someone had written Assisi’s words.  “I don’t know a lot about this, I’m just trying to seek first to understand then to be understood.”  It was so refreshing, and it was so convicting.  His comment exposed the failure in my own discipleship.  

I think we often worry about getting the argument right.  And we should.  We live in a real world where real ideas have real consequences.  But there’s a wrong way to be right, and that is just as bad as being wrong.  Let us, then, commit to being a community that seeks first to understand.  Our listening matters.  It is a gift.  

Post-College Women's Group

Moms, grad students, and/or all the single ladies looking for sisterhood?  On Monday, September 19th 8:00 Lindsay Carney will be hosting  an evening to learn more about women's groups for the fall.  Please email her lindsay.r.carney@gmail.com for more information.   

Volunteer Training Day

1. CC Middle School 

School is back in full swing! If you are looking for a way to get involved in our community ministries this semester, our partnership with Cesar Chavez Middle School may be a good fit. 

We are looking for: 

People to mentor a student weekly during the lunch hour 

Or

Commit one afternoon a week to hang out on campus between 4:30-5:30

2. Children's Ministry 

It's that time again UBC!  Sunday, September 11th we will be holding our annual UBCKids Volunteer Training!  We have more need than ever for volunteers, so if you are at all interested in helping out with our kids ranging in ages of 0-10, please plan on attending on Sunday so that we can give you everything you need to get plugged in!  
It should take about an hour and a half and lunch will be provided!  Please contact Emily at emily@ubcwaco.org with any questions or concerns!

UBC Basketball

Do you like playing basketball? Do you like to slay the devil?  Good news, UBC is putting together it’s first ever basketball team.  If you are interested in playing, games will be on Thursday nights, starting on September 8th. There will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer after church.  The South Waco Community Center is putting on the league for churches, and all proceeds go to support the Halloween Carnival.  We call this a win win.  If you have any questions, and if you a wanna be balla shot calla, holla at toph@ubcwaco.org

Backside

We are hosting the first of two Backside open mic/open wall events on Friday, September 23rd, at 7pm.  If you are a musician, poet, storyteller, visual artist, etc., this is a night for you to share your gifts with the community.  If you aren't a creative type, this is a night for you to engage the beauty that our congregation is creating.  Also, there will be coffee and baked goods.  So if you roast coffee or bake things, feel free to showcase those arts as well!  If you have questions, or want to sign up, email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Common Grounds Show

Jamie is playing a show with a band called Tow'rs on Thursday, September 15th, at 8pm.  You can learn more here.

Work is Worship

Greeters: Evie & the Walters

Coffee Makers: Chad

Mug Cleaners:  Cooleys 

Money Counter: Justin Pond 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: Revelation 13 "the call"  Please be in prayer for our special guest preacher, Dr. Adam Winn. 
• New Volunteer Training (CC Middle School and Children's Ministry): Sept. 11 
• Common Grounds Show: Jameson McGregor and Tow'rs: Sept 15
• Mi Casa Leader Training: Sept 18
• Family Weekend Breakfast: Sept 18
• Town Hall: Sept 18
• New UBCer Luncheon: Sept 25
• Backside Event: Sept 23rd 
• St. Francis Feast Day/Blessing of the Animals: Oct 4th 
• Fall Retreat for Juniors and Seniors: October 20-23
• Made in Waco: Nov 5th 
• Thanksgiving Love Feast: Nov 20th 
• Backside Event: Dec 2nd 
• Study Hall: Dec 7th 
• We are gearing up for another school year which means we will resume our work with Cesar Chavez middle school.  If you would like to mentor a student or serve the middle school in another capacity email marshall@ubcwaco.org 

Do you have an emergency and need to talk to a pastor? 

254 413 2611

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- Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.com

Joy Wineman: joy.wineman@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

David Wilhite: David_Wilhite@baylor.edu

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

UBC Finance Team

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

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas_mcnamee@baylor.edu

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.

Maxcey Blaylock: maxceykite@gmail.com

Mathew Crawford: mathewcrawford@yahoo.com

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Liturgy 8-28-2016

This blog is a record of the call to worship, Scripture readings, and prayers from our Sunday liturgies.  If you are interested in writing something for the liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

we have gathered to worship the Most High God,

Whose image we bear;
in Whom we live, and move, and have our being.

seeking to be formed by the story of Jesus,

so that we might mirror Him
in our living, loving, rejoicing,
and mourning

through the power of the Holy Spirit,

that secret Pulse
Who is within and around us,
weaving our stories into One.

Amen.

Scripture

Jeremiah 2:4-13

Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord:

What wrong did your ancestors find in me
that they went far from me,
and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves?

They did not say, "Where is the Lord
who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us in the wilderness,
in a land of deserts and pits,
in a land of drought and deep darkness,
in a land that no one passes through,
where no one lives?"

I brought you into a plentiful land
to eat its fruits and its good things.

But when you entered you defiled my land,
and made my heritage an abomination.

The priests did not say, "Where is the Lord?"
Those who handle the law did not know me;
the rulers transgressed against me;
the prophets prophesied by Baal, 
and went after things that do not profit.

Therefore once more I accuse you, says the Lord,
and I accuse your children's children.

Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
send to Kedar and examine with care;
see if there has ever been such a thing.
Has a nation changed its gods,
even though they are no gods?

But my people have changed their glory
for something that does not profit.
Be appalled, O heavens, at this,
be shocked, be utterly desolate,
says the Lord,
for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living water,
and dug out cisterns for themselves,
cracked cisterns
that can hold no water.

Luke 14:1, 7-14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.

When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, `Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, `Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Prayer

This week's prayer was written by Mike Studer:

Dear God,

This morning, I ask for a special blessing on all the teachers and staff that work tirelessly to care for and educate our children and young adults. In times of frustration, bring them relief, in times of fatigue, bring them rest, in times of joy, give them celebration, in times of sadness, give them support, and in times of exasperation, give them hope. Please help them surrender fully to you and remember that as they serve their students, it is you they are really serving. 

Amen.

Setlist 8-28-2016

This was the fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost, and our songs around the theme of power from below.  Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, you can find recordings from Sunday morning of a few of them, and below the recordings, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

There's a Wideness in God's Mercy by Jameson McGregor (adapted from F. Faber)

All the Poor and Powerless by All Sons & Daughters

House of God Forever by Jon Foreman

God of the Dead by Seth Woods

Heart Won't Stop by John Mark McMillan

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme. 

There's A Wideness in God's Mercy: We sang this song to begin our time together by thinking about the wideness of God's mercy and the breadth of God's love.  More specifically, in terms of the theme that unites this week's songs, the fact that our deficiencies are precisely what place us in the path of God's love.  Despite our tendency to attempt to construct boundaries around the love of God, the love of God transcends our limitations and reaches those who deserve it least by even the most generous human standards.

All the Poor and Powerless: This song continues the theme from There's A Wideness in God's Mercy, underscoring the fact that what we might consider as a hindrance in life--poverty, loneliness, heartbreak, etc, actually postures us to encounter and worship God in a way that is nearly impossible in the absence of adversity.  God is for the socially less-than when no one else is.  

House of God Forever: This song uses the language of Psalm 23 to think of God's provision for the people of God--a provision rooted in a power that is outside of any of us and is not determined by our own ability.  We sang it to practice locating our hope in God and not in ourselves.

God of the Dead: This is a song by Seth Woods, a guy who used to play music at ubc every now and then.  He has an album of songs that were recorded at ubc (by Jon Davis, who is still around) that I came across a few months ago.  It's $7 and it's great.  So buy it.  I'm drawn to this song for the assortment of images it associates with God that essentially amount to names for God (God of the dead, God of the breathing again, God of the earth, God of the grave, God of the rising and the raised......I would go on, but you can just click the lyric link).  These names aren't super familiar to us, and that's important.  Because they offer us fresh vantage points from which we might look at God.  And in contrast to verses that offer new names for God, the chorus is a petition that God would breath our new names.  That God would teach us who we are in a fresh way.  That we would hear names that were stripped away of all the things we build up for ourselves in the identities that we construct. 

Heart Won't Stop: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about Heart Won't Stop then: We sang this song to begin with the confession that there aren't any barriers that God is unwilling to transgress to reconnect with God's children.  

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos.

-JM

ITLOTC 8-26-16

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Pentecost

Singular Pronouns

Let’s talk about pronouns.  Probably about half of the readers of this blog just scrolled down to the announcements section to get on with their day.  So it’s just us now.  

Anyway, you may have noticed that many of the songs we sing together in our liturgy on Sunday mornings use first-person singular pronouns. Has it ever struck you as odd that we have a bunch of people gathered together singing about their personal experiences with God?  

If it hasn’t, don’t beat yourself up.  But know that this is something that really gets under some people’s skin.  The concern is that this language pushes us further into a hyper-individualized engagement of faith, something that our culture already tips us toward.  And this is a problem because the Kingdom is about community.  We aren’t meant to do this alone.

I think this concern is legitimate.  And yet I embrace first-person singular pronouns in songs.  Why? Because they acknowledge our individuality (the healthy part of it), and have the potential to foster a more robust sense of community than first-person plural pronouns (but, to be clear, first-person plural pronouns are great too).

The first part of that statement (“they acknowledge our individuality…”) isn’t hard to grasp: singing “I” evokes a sense of self by which one can acknowledge and reflect upon one’s personal experience.  This connection to personal experience in our singing allows us to carry these songs with us to critique, encourage, reorient us in our daily lives.  

The second part (“potential to foster a more robust…”) is a little more abstract.  As a part of the Church, our community represents one body.  Like our own bodies, it is made up of many unique parts that have their own functions, stories, experiences, etc.  And yet they are one. This isn’t a new idea—it’s in the Bible. 

When a community of individuals sings “I,” the many “I’s” unite together into a single “I”—the voices of individuals join into the singular voice of the community.  This mirrors what it is for people being formed in the way of Christ to join together as a church community.  Each one brings his or her own “I” to the table, yet the individual “I’s” get so entangled, one does stand out from another.

So we make a double-statement when we sing with first person singular pronouns—we claim something about our individual experience with God and the world, while also adding our voice to those around us as a proclamation of the unity of our communal body.  This proclamation of unity carries with it a celebration of the particularity of the individuals who are gathered, knowing that this communal “I” would not be the same if any of the individual “I’s” were taken away.

Think about that the next time we sing a song with I’s or me’s (we’ll do that in about half of the songs we sing this Sunday).  And think about what it means for you to join your “I” to the people who are in the room around you.  People with whom you likely disagree deeply on any number of issues.  People who you may struggle deeply to understand.  People who, by the very virtue of being people, share your deepest existential fears and have been given the same kind of ruthless grace as you.  I have a feeling that if we make a point to do this, it will have a deep impact on the way we love God and love others.

JM

Welcome Back Lunch (Sunday)

This Sunday, after church, is our annual welcome back lunch.  We want you to stick around after the service for a free meal on us.  We are bringing in mexican food from the best hole in the wall place in town, and if you don’t agree with me, you get your money back.  This lunch is open to everyone (students, families, babies, grandparents, etc…)  If you are reading this, you are invited.  In fact, bring your friends, the more the merrier.  There is no need to bring anything, we have everything covered (including some vegan options).  If you have any questions, please email toph@ubcwaco.org

Jesus Said Love Help

One of our ministry partners here in Waco is Jesus Said Love.  This last year they were able to purchase a building to move their offices into and they are looking for help. 

Where: 1500 Columbus

When: Tomorrow, August 27th (9am-3pm)

Kindergarten Commissioning

Please be in prayer for our kindergartners who will be commissioned for their academic journey as part of the liturgy this Sunday.  If you have a child entering kindergarten and have not been in contact with pastor emily please email emily@ubcwaco.org.  

Work is Worship

Greeters: Blaylocks 

Coffee Makers: Emmy and Steveweiser 

Mug Cleaners:  KT & Yacob 

Money Counter: Josh M.

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: Luke 14:1, 7-14 "power from below"
• New Volunteer Training: Sept. 11 
• Mi Casa Leader Training: Sept 18
• Family Weekend Breakfast: Sept 18
• Town Hall: Sept 18
• New UBCer Luncheon: Sept 25
• Backside Event: Sept 23rd 
• St. Francis Feast Day: Blessing of the Animals: Oct 4th 
• Fall Retreat for Juniors and Seniors: October 20-23
• Made in Waco: Nov 5th 
• Thanksgiving Love Feast: Nov 20th 
• Backside Event: Dec 2nd 
• Study Hall: Dec 7th 
• We are gearing up for another school year which means we will resume our work with Cesar Chavez middle school.  If you would like to mentor a student or serve the middle school in another capacity email marshall@ubcwaco.org 

Do you have an emergency and need to talk to a pastor? 

254 413 2611

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- Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.com

Joy Wineman: joy.wineman@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

David Wilhite: David_Wilhite@baylor.edu

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

UBC Finance Team

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

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas_mcnamee@baylor.edu

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.

Maxcey Blaylock: maxceykite@gmail.com

Mathew Crawford: mathewcrawford@yahoo.com

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Liturgy 8-21-2016

This blog is a record of the call to worship, Scripture readings, and prayers from our Sunday liturgies.  If you are interested in writing something for the liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

We have gathered to worship the Lord of everything

carrying our own everything with us:
the old and the new
the good and the bad
the exciting and the mundane
all of it.

seeking to be formed in the way of Christ

the Healer who takes
our wounds upon Himself

and to be transformed by the Holy Spirit

the Artist who paints hope
on torn canvases
and is making all things new

Amen

Scripture

Psalm 103:1-8

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless the Lord’s holy Name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all the Lord’s benefits.

The Lord forgives all your sins
and heals all your infirmities;
The Lord redeems your life from the grave
and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness;
The Lord satisfies you with good things,
and your youth is renewed like an eagle's.

The Lord executes righteousness
and judgment for all who are oppressed.

The Lord made the Lord’s ways known to Moses
and the Lord’s works to the children of Israel.

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
slow to anger and of great kindness.

Luke 13:10-17

Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment."

When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day."

But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?" When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.

Prayer

This week's prayer was written by Sharyl Loeung:

Healing God,

Call us to stand upright
may we be bent no longer
May we not carry the worry of tomorrow

Reach down and deliver us from the depths
Look deep into our body, mind, our emotion
and call us to stand upright

Bring forth the good and beautiful because of your loving kindness
We long for your rest even while you work on this Sabbath day

Unbind us, call us to stand up right
that we may choose to walk in obedience

Amen.

Setlist 8-21-2016

This was the fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, and our songs were gathered with God's pursuit of reconciliation in mind.  Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, you can find recordings from Sunday morning of a few of them, and below the recordings, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

Heart Won't Stop by John Mark McMillan

Be Thou My Vision

All Creatures of Our God and King

Wild One by Jameson McGregor

Future/Past by John Mark McMillan

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme. 

Heart Won't Stop:  We sang this song to begin with the confession that there aren't any barriers that God is unwilling to transgress to reconnect with God's children.  

Be Thou My Vision: With this God of relentless love and grace in mind, we sang this song to ask that God would be our vision, wisdom, security, and hope, forming us into people who love relentlessly as well.

All Creatures of Our God and King: We sang this song to proclaim that God is Lord of all creation, and that God thus cares for all of creation intimately.  Keeping the petition from Be Thou My Vision in mind, this song also functions as a charge to ourselves to care intimately for all of creation.

Wild One: We sang this song to worship the Unbound God. These words serve as a pointed reminder to ourselves that we cannot control God and that God's love is not limited to the things or people that we love.  God is active and on the move in the world around us, telling a dynamic story that's better than the best kind of story we could think up.

Future/Past: This song is a further response to the theme ofWandering. Beyond God's faithfulness, it traces several layers of God's grandeur, and notes the surprising fact that God has called us friends.  The divine-human relationship is an unequal partnership.  It's the kind that leaves the lesser party (us) wholly caught up in the undeserved grace of God to allow us to enter into a project of which we are not worthy.  God stands before us and beyond us, and somehow still stands with us.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos.

-JM

ITLOTC 8-19-16

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Pentecost

The Micro Nature of the Gospel

I once debated a staff member about the purpose of the gospel.  We agreed that the gospel demands change.  Our disagreement was about who it changes.  He was suggesting it intends to make systematic changes at a macro level.  I was advocating that Jesus changed individuals.  Both of us, if pressed, would have conceded a version of the other's argument.  

Yes Jesus did change the world and is still confronting systems of injustice.  My point was, he did it through relationships.  It's part of the purpose of the incarnation.  Jesus confronts me and my relationship to macro systems of injustice.  If I'm honest, one of the reasons I feel strongly about this argument is because of my pastoral experience.  

We are moving ever so closer to election day.  As we approach that day I anticipate the articles shared on Facebook will be more cutting,  the rhetoric from each candidate less charitable, and our shared sense of humanity will diminish.  

We all know now that tone can't be detected through text messages and emails and sometimes that can have a big impact on a social exchange.  We can interpret incorrectly.  Social media exchanges run that risk.  Sitting behind computer screens and on the other side of cell phones we find a courage to speak with greater cynicism than we would had we to converse in person.  This is why I think, Jesus would prefer relationships had he ministered in our day. 

There's something spiritual, something additional, that is present in our conversations with each other when we do so in the same space.  It's much more difficult for me to forget that you are human, loved by God and someone who I likely would enjoy if I permitted myself to do so in person to person exchange than in a social media exchange.  

So I'd like to include another image from the olympics.  North and South Korea have sat next to each other in political divisiveness since before the Cold War.  I'm sure both countries live in fear of the what the other might/could do.  The boarder between those two countries allows them to believe something about each other in same way social media screens between us do.  

But then I saw a Jesus' relationship-kind-of-moment at the Olympics. Artistic gymnasts Lee Eun-ju (R) of South Korea and Hong Un-jong of North Korea (L) would not allow a state of war on their divided peninsula prevent them from bonding in Rio.  Confronted with each others humanity, instincts of charity and friendship were allowed to flourish.  Go team world! 

New HR and Leadership Team Members

The leadership team met  Sunday night August 7th and at that meeting they selected a new member for their squad and also someone to serve on the HR team.  I'm excited to tell you that our new leadership team person is Emma Wood and that Jerad Gould has been selected to serve on HR.  This week and last week I've introduced them to you.  

Name: Emma Jane Wood

What brings you to Waco: Initially Baylor, my first job out of my doctoral program was as Staff Psychologist at Baylor’s Counseling Center. I was looking to bring Russ home to Texas (he’s a 6th generation Texan) and had applied for almost every open counseling center psychologist position in the state and Baylor was the only one I heard back from. It so happened that Russ had attended Baylor from 1999-2003, but never imagined that he would move back to Waco. Over the past 6 years we have fallen in love with Waco and more recently UBC. We have rooted our family here, Russ, Myself and our two daughters Sophie (3) and Winnie (1). I can’t imagine leaving and I can’t imagine loving a community more.

Movie and/or TV Show: I’m slightly (a lot) obsessed with documentaries, or movies “based on a true story,” I feel that real life is much more interesting than fantasy. With on exception, the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder. I do also love Hustle and Flow and Chris Rock’s Good Hair. I am enjoying introducing our older daughter to my favorite childhood movies like the Labyrinth and the Dark Crystal.

TV shows that I enjoy are typically hour long dramas that make you think. True Detectives, An American Crime, Ray Donovan, I must admit I like to be able to psychoanalyze characters so most of the shows that pull me in are a little intense.

Best Restaurant in Waco: The Mix cafe, avocado, feta and artichokes, oh my! Also I love a good sandwich, it is probably my favorite food genre. So Olive Brach is always good.

Favorite book/chapter/verse of the Bible: Book: Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott. If you haven’t read it, run to your amazon cart and add it now! Also Henri Nouwen’ The Wounded Healer, Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and Viktor Frankl Man’s Search for Meaning. These books each changed my life and are probably the ones I ‘prescribe' most to my patients.  1 Corinthians 13:13

Something we might now know about you: I am a kiwi. Not the bird, or the fruit, but the nationality. New Zealander’s are called “Kiwis.” Also, I was on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire...It did not go well. I am an enneagram 4, who desperately wants to be a 9, but just cannot help myself in my 4ness. I am a cultural feminist and social justice advocate. I love hard and am passionate about people who hurt.

Meet Our Newest UBCer

Rowan Emmanuel Frise

birthday: 8/8/16

birth weight: 7 lbs 4 ounces

birth height: 19.5 inches

enneagram number: 6

Information From Pastor Emily

This Summer our Branch and Root classes have been learning how to Serve like the Savior!  We have learned a lot of valuable lessons by studying Philippians 2 and Christ’s example for us of having an ATTITUDE of humility, paying ATTENTION to the needs of others and taking ACTION to help!  In an effort to make sure that we are ready to take ACTION when we see someone in need, last week we assembled Care Kits to keep in our car so that when we see someone who is hungry or hurting, we can be ready to help!  The kids had SUCH a great time putting these together and were SO excited to be able to share them with someone in need, that we thought others might want to be ready for ACTION, too!

To make your own Care Kit, here is what was included in ours and some ideas of other things you might want to include:

1 Reusable Water Bottle (The Dollar Store has BPA free, wide-mouth bottles for $1!)

1 Soft Cereal Bar (Most resources suggest soft over hard or chewy bars, due to potential dental problems)

1 Pack of Peanut Butter Crackers

1 Washcloth (This is suggested over wipes because it can be used over and over)

1 Sheet of Bandaids

1 Gallon Ziplock Bag (To easily carry items so that they aren’t effected by weather)

1 Handmade Card (Ours had an encouraging message printed on it so that the kids could write a note or simply draw a picture)

1 Bottle of Water (We attached ours to the Reusable Bottle with rubber bands)

Other items that you might want to include:

A Soft Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Antibacterial Wipes (Alcohol-Free)

Socks

Gloves (Depending on Weather)

Tissues

Chapstick

Sunscreen

Lotion

Deodorant

Things NOT to include:

Hand Sanitizer (Contains Alcohol...)

Mouthwash (Same reason…)

Beef Jerky (too hard to chew…)

There are a lot of great resources out there with ideas and tips, but here are two websites that I found particularly helpful when planning our Care Kits!  This kind of need is something that most of us cannot even imagine, so reading these posts from people who have been homeless or who have worked closely with those who are before you get started will give you the insight you need to be sure that you are giving the BEST help you can!

http://blog.theveteranssite.com/homeless-care-package-tips/

http://www.morewithlessmom.com/index.php/2015/11/18/real-deal-care-packages-for-homeless/

I hope that this has been helpful and has perhaps inspired you to make a batch of Care Kits for your car!  This doesn’t have to just be for the kids of UBC, but could be a great way for anyone in our community to be ready care for others.  To steal a line from Josh...UBC, may we be a people who have an ATTITUDE of humility, pay ATTENTION to the needs of others, and take ACTION to serve others like our Savior!

Work is Worship

Greeters: Will 

Coffee Makers: Emmy 

Mug Cleaners: Emma 

Money Counter: Anna Tilson 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: Luke 13:10-17 "Bent Under the Weight of Religion" 
• Kindergarten Commission August 28th.  If you have a child going into Kindergarten and would like to be part of our commissioning service, please email emily@ubcwaco.org 
• We are gearing up for another school year which means we will resume our work with Ceasar Chavez middle school.  If you would like to mentor a student or serve the middle school in another capacity email marshall@ubcwaco.org 

Do you have an emergency and need to talk to a pastor? 

254 413 2611

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- Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.com

Joy Wineman: joy.wineman@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

David Wilhite: David_Wilhite@baylor.edu

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: Emma Wood <emmaj.wood@yahoo.com>

UBC Finance Team

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

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas_mcnamee@baylor.edu

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.

Maxcey Blaylock: maxceykite@gmail.com

Mathew Crawford: mathewcrawford@yahoo.com

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Liturgy 8-14-2016

This blog is a record of the call to worship, Scripture readings, and prayers from our Sunday liturgies.  If you are interested in writing something for the liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

We have gathered to worship the Creator

The One who made us
and sustains us

And to be formed in the Way of Christ

The One who holds us together
And shows us how to live
As we are meant to

By the power of the Holy Spirit

The One who is among us
and is making us new

Amen.

Scripture

Isaiah 5:1-7

Let me sing for my beloved
my love-song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones,
and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
and hewed out a wine vat in it;
he expected it to yield grapes,
but it yielded wild grapes.

And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem
and people of Judah,
judge between me
and my vineyard.
What more was there to do for my vineyard
that I have not done in it?
When I expected it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes?

And now I will tell you
what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
and it shall be trampled down.
I will make it a waste;
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns;
I will also command the clouds
that they rain no rain upon it.

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah
are his pleasant planting;
he expected justice,
but saw bloodshed;
righteousness,
but heard a cry!

Luke 12:49-56

Jesus said, "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided:

father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, `It is going to rain'; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, `There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?"

Prayer

This week's prayer was written by Josh Ritter:

All Vulnerable God of Mystery and Grace,

Thank you for the Divine Trinitarian Dance you invite us into each day.

Forgive us when we forget that this is your infinite gift of Beauty and Grace to us.

Forgive us for not recognizing our true self that is in you and in Christ, and forgive us for pretending to be who we think we are and for believing these masks are real.

We know that we are called by you to live as Christ and in Christ and to become the Divine Spark that is buried in each of our hearts. We are called, just as Jesus was, to let that spark – that divinity – burn as a wildfire and consume us. We know that we are called to open our hearts so that we may be healed and in turn offer healing to this world that has also forgotten the Divinity that resides within all of Creation, within all things, within all people.

You call us to More…You call us to embrace abundance, love, grace, beauty, forgiveness, hope, joy, and belonging. But, often, we doubt…our humanity doubts and overwhelms our calling to become one with Christ…and we believe lies as truth…and we turn those lies into idols and worship those idols as gods.

We believe scarcity rather than abundance,
We believe apathy and indifference rather than love,
We believe strength rather than vulnerability,
We believe fear rather than hope and belonging,
We believe perfection and control rather than acceptance and forgiveness,
We believe achievements and temporary distractions rather than true joy,
We believe uniqueness and individualism rather than friendship and community,
We believe consumerism and greed rather than charity and hospitality...

Forgive us for worshiping these idols…because when we do this our hearts close down, our ego self and small self become larger than life, brokenness grows, the potential to give and to receive healing stops, our connection to you as the Vine and Divine Source of love and grace is cut off and we wither…and then we project our fear, pain, hurt, and smallness out onto others…

So help us to stop being idol worshippers, because we become like the gods that we worship…and help us to remember the divine nature, our true self, that you have called us to be and to become…we recognize that Jesus never actually really had that many problems with sinners, but he did have much to say about those who offer cheap religion and arrogant judgment towards others.

Help us not to practice what culture teaches us, which is to love the sinner and hate the sin, and instead help us to remember the consistent biblical teaching to just love our neighbor…come what may…love our neighbor…

Help us to remember that you call us to More…to expansiveness, to abundance…to Love and Justice…to transform our hearts and lives and to become displaced from the norms of our culture…You call us to be refugees in this world because residents of the Kingdom of God claim no other citizenship than to Christ the Redeemer, the one who disrupts hierarchies of power and kingdoms of control and heals them through his redemption and Resurrection.

Help us this day to remember that we are created in and for You and that we are called to be witnesses for the Love and Grace that is the Divine miracle of the universe that we call Christ.

Amen.

Setlist 8-14-2016

This was the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, and our songs were gathered with God's faithfulness to us despite our brokenness in mind.  Or, taken from the vantage point of Josh's sermon, God's making wine out of wild grapes.  Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, you can find recordings from Sunday morning of a few of them, and below the recordings, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me atjamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

Wandering by Jameson McGregor

Future/Past by John Mark McMillan

Holy, Holy, Holy

Breathe For Me  by Jameson McGregor

Pulse by Jameson McGregor

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme. 

Wandering: This song takes up the theme by noting our tendency to attempt to manipulate the movement of God for our own purposes.  Time and again, we go through life as though God is a tool that we can use.  We don't always do this on purpose, but it's a posture we slip into rather easily.  This posture presents itself so easily because God has partnered with humanity to tell a story.  God could no doubt tell this story by other means, so it's a baffling mystery that time and again God chooses to be faithful to us when we are not faithful to the calling of God.  Or maybe it's not mysterious at all.  Maybe that's just how God is.  

Future/Past: This song is a further response to the theme of Wandering. Beyond God's faithfulness, it traces several layers of God's grandeur, and notes the surprising fact that God has called us friends.  The divine-human relationship is an unequal partnership.  It's the kind that leaves the lesser party (us) wholly caught up in the undeserved grace of God to allow us to enter into a project of which we are not worthy.  God stands before us and beyond us, and somehow still stands with us.

Holy, Holy, Holy: We sang this song to step further into the train of thought to meditate upon and proclaim God's holiness.  God's faithfulness to us is baffling in light of God's holiness, but this surprising grace itself becomes a central point of what it means for us to say that God is holy.

Breathe For Me: This song was going to be an interpretation of Breathe on Me, Breath of God, but it ended up without a single line from that hymn.  So it is its own song.  It is in many ways a prayer that acknowledges the parts of the human experience that make us bad partners in God's project, and asks God to step in and do what we cannot--to transform us into vessels of Godself who carry out God's project faithfully.  It's an admission that we can't do this on our own--that we can't will ourselves into capable partners in God's redemption project.

Pulse: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about Pulse then: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about Pulse then: We sang this song to be reminded of the gift of life that God has given to all of creation, and to lament our tendency to ignore the dignity of this gift in people who are different than us.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos.

-JM