Setlist 4-23-2017

This week was the second Sunday of Easter, and our songs were gathered around the theme of....Easter.  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 and Sarah McMillan

Amazing Grace by Citizens & Saints

Rise Up by Bifrost Arts

Noise by Jameson McGregor

Mystery by Jameson McGregor (adapted from Charlie Hall)

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: In Easter, we find that there are no barriers that God is not willing to cross to set things right with us.  The refrain of "Your heart won't stop coming after me" is about more than just a vague notion of the Love of God, but rather speaks to the redemptive force of the Love of God.  This season offers us an opportunity to consider the work that God is doing in creation, and the God is drawing us into in our own lives.

Amazing Grace: The Resurrection is a transformative act of grace that has implications for the whole of creation.  It is a Yes to life and the created world. This song talks about the implications of the Resurrection for our lives, and we sang it to rehearse speaking the truth about God's ongoing redemption project in our midst.

Rise Up: This song takes up the resurrection theme from a different angle; namely, that of the implications of the Resurrection for justice in the world.  Christ took up the cause of the oppressed (became oppressed), entered the depths of suffering and death, and in rising again, offers a distinct kind of hope that cycles of violence and oppression are not locked into the tracks they appear to be.  Christ's rising offers hope that the lowly to can rise.  The chorus of the song can be looked at in two ways: a plea for God to rise up to defend the cause of the oppressed, and a call to one another, as the body of Christ, to rise up to defend the cause of the oppressed. We sang this song to begin to broaden our understanding of who Jesus is as the Risen One, and who we are called to be as resurrection people.

Noise: This song is about God painting death and resurrection onto our lives by entering into our suffering and drawing us through it.  

Mystery:  We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about Mystery then:  This is a protest song.  And Easter is a protest day.  In the Resurrection of Jesus, we have the defeat of death, yes, but we also have an empire and religious institution put to shame as their supposedly final assertion of power over the trouble-maker Jesus doesn't work.  If the power that corrupt systems of oppression carry is falsified, these systems cannot hope to stand for long.  So, the formula Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again is multi-valent, and one of those valences is of the raised-fist variety.  This was true then, and it is true now.  

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 4-21-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Easter

Working @ UBC by Taylor Post

I’ve been working at UBC for almost two months now (or 7.5 weeks or 54 days - whichever unit of measurement you prefer) and there are a few things I’ve learned during that time that I would like to share with all of you. Here we go:

• UBC has the cutest, smartest, best kids in all of Waco and probably all of the world (this is my opinion but it is also a fact)
• Having an office upstairs means that I get a lot of uninterrupted work time - which is good because I’m easily distracted (also – my office is upstairs! Come visit me anytime!)
• Nintendo’s respond best to their owners – like how your dog comes when you call it’s name 
• The person on staff most likely to tell you how it is (but in a kind way) is Jamie (this is a trait I value very much and I’m jealous of Jamie for possessing it)
• The person on staff most likely to ask you thoughtful questions that make you stop and think really hard is Toph
• The person on staff most likely to engage you in fun and meaningful conversation is Josh
• The person on staff most likely to check on you and make sure that you’re doing alright is Amy
• My favorite person to work with on staff is…yeah right, like I’d really choose a favorite. (Or if I did like I’d let anyone know!!)
• UBC Kids volunteers are some of the most dedicated people I’ve ever met – I am so thankful for volunteers who love our kids well and are passionate about teaching kids about who God is and how God loves them
• The lectionary text for this week is about Thomas (you know Thomas, the one that doubts things) – and I’ve been thinking all week about how lucky I am to be at a place that doesn’t think of doubt as a dirty word. A place where I can encourage kids to ask questions and assure them that God is big enough for them to have doubts
• I will NEVER get tired of meeting sweet new babies!!
• The person on staff most likely to make fun of the Enneagram is (basically anyone that’s not me or Josh, but especially) Toph
• Josh can load and unload coffee mugs into the dishwasher at an intimidatingly fast pace
• “It ALWAYS works out!” This is one of the things Emily (Nance) told me my first week on the job and she’s yet to be wrong. No matter how crazy things are looking on Wednesday or Thursday by Sunday morning everything has always settled down

    “It ALWAYS works out” has proven to be a pretty good mantra for me over the past few weeks. Although “Love God, embrace beauty, and live life to the fullest” will work in a pinch too. So, I’ve learned a lot in my first (almost) two months at UBC, but there is certainly a lot more left to learn. And I’m looking forward to learning it. 

Graduate Luncheon

If you are graduating anytime in 2017, we would like to invite you to stay for lunch after church on April 30th. The lunch is for those graduating hs, college, grad school, or phd. There will be a sign up sheet in the foyer on Sunday. If you have any questions, please email toph@ubcwaco.org

Pastoral Associates

UBC is now accepting applications for the pastoral associate program.  You can read more about the program and find the information needed to apply by clicking  here. 

The Middle Ages

The Middle Ages are going to the Baylor pla , Noises Off, on Saturday, April 29.   Stan Denman is directing and says it’s HILARIOUS.   UBC group tickets must be purchased by the 19th by calling the box office 710-1865.  For more information on the event email Jeff_Walter@baylor.edu. 

Work is Worship

Greeters: Blaylocks 

Coffee Makers: Moshers 

Mug Cleaners: 

Money Counter: Hannah K 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: 
• April 30th - Mr. Rogers Sunday
• April 30th - Graduate Luncheon
• May 2nd - Study Hall 
• May 5th - Rend Collective @ UBC

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

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

Student Position: Samuel Moore: samuel_moore2@baylor.edu

Student Position: Leah Reed: Leah_Reed@baylor.edu

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 4-16-2017

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, or if you have a concern about any aspect of our liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

We have gathered to bear witness
to the story that changes every story

when the women came to mourn
they found their Hope raised anew

we have gathered to speak again
the wonder that echoes off the edge of time

Christ has died
But death could not hold him
God set a Light in the darkness
And the darkness did not overcome it

Christ is Risen

He is Risen indeed
and now the reign of death
has fallen to Resurrection

Amen

Scripture

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his mercy endures for ever.
Let Israel now proclaim,
"His mercy endures for ever."

The Lord is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.
There is a sound of exultation and victory
in the tents of the righteous:
"The right hand of the Lord has triumphed!
the right hand of the Lord is exalted!
the right hand of the Lord has triumphed!"

I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the Lord.
The Lord has punished me sorely,
but he did not hand me over to death.
Open for me the gates of righteousness;
I will enter them;
I will offer thanks to the Lord.

"This is the gate of the Lord;
he who is righteous may enter."

I will give thanks to you, for you answered me
and have become my salvation.
The same stone which the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
On this day the Lord has acted;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Matthew 28:1-10

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.”

So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Prayer

This week's prayer was written by Jacob Robinson and myself:

Christ has died.  Christ is Risen.  Christ will come again.

God, we embrace this Yes that you have spoken into the world.

This word of hope that echoes off the edge of time.
This counterpoint to every word of death, oppression, and temporal power.

This word of affirmation to all things good and beautiful
This counterpoint to self-interest and control

This word of abundance
This counterpoint to all things driven by scarcity and fear.

And in embracing this Yes, we pray that you would make us into resurrection people.  People who carry your Yes in us, breathing life into death, hope into anguish, and peace into violence.

We ask this of you in the name of Jesus Christ, the Risen One, by the power of the Spirit of Life.

Amen.

Setlist 4-16-2017

Yesterday was Easter Sunday, and our songs were gathered with the death and Resurrection of Jesus 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:

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Death In His Grave by John Mark McMillan

Mystery by Jameson McGregor (adapted from Charlie Hall)

Hope 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. 

In the Night: We will be adding a piece to this song every week of Lent.  It traces a thread of struggle through the biblical narrative, ultimately building a case to hold hope in the midst of immense darkness.  We recorded a live version of this song last year, which you can download for free here.  

Death In His Grave: This song narrates the death and Resurrection of Jesus, and underscores the outcome of this Event: the death of death.  It also captures the reality-altering implications of this event for humans that Paul likens to Jesus being a second Adam.  We sang this song to step into this narrative in a more deliberate way and experience it anew.

Mystery: This is a protest song.  And Easter is a protest day.  In the Resurrection of Jesus, we have the defeat of death, yes, but we also have an empire and religious institution put to shame as their supposedly final assertion of power over the trouble-maker Jesus doesn't work.  If the power that corrupt systems of oppression carry is falsified, these systems cannot hope to stand for long.  So, the formula Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again is multi-valent, and one of those valences is of the raised-fist variety.  This was true then, and it is true now.  

Hope: This song uses the image from John of God setting a light in the darkness that the darkness did not overcome as a reference point for present hope (and interprets this image to refer to the Resurrection).  In the Resurrection, we see in action what we have hoped to be true: that God is present and active in brokenness, and is in the habit of making all things new.  And when we look back on our own lives in the moments most marred by pain, we find that they too evolved into something like broken pieces coming back together.  So when those pain-marred moments are our present moments, we can look back on the Resurrection and the resurrections we have experienced for the hope that God will raise us up again.

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 4-14-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Lent

Obituaries

Meet Our Newest UBCer

Ellie Jane Wood

Birthday: 4/4/17

Birth Weight: 6 lb. 1 oz. 

Birth Height: 18 1/4 inches 

Enneagram Number: 3 

UBC Volunteer Party

Do you volunteer at UBC, or volunteer with any of our community partners?  If so, please join us for a party after church, on Sunday, April 23, from 12-2:30pm.  We will provide the lunch, and the good times.  Be looking for more information about the location/details of the party in the near future, but go ahead and mark April 23rd as the party of the year.  

The Middle Ages

The Middle Ages are going to the Baylor pla , Noises Off, on Saturday, April 29.   Stan Denman is directing and says it’s HILARIOUS.   UBC group tickets must be purchased by the 19th by calling the box office 710-1865.  For more information on the event email Jeff_Walter@baylor.edu. 

Work is Worship

Greeters: Will & Richardsons 

Coffee Makers: Kareem 

Mug Cleaners: Faith Williams 

Money Counter: Hannah Kuhl 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: Matthew 28:1-10 "Go to Galilee: The Hermeneutic of Obedience" 
• April 30th - Mr. Rogers Sunday
• April 30th - Graduate Luncheon
• May 2nd - Study Hall 
• May 5th - Rend Collective @ UBC

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

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

Student Position: Samuel Moore: samuel_moore2@baylor.edu

Student Position: Leah Reed: Leah_Reed@baylor.edu

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 4-9-2017

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, or if you have a concern about any aspect of our liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

Today, we gather alongside the rabble who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem

Proclaiming, “Blessed is the One
who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Blessed is the One Whose power is made perfect in weakness

Who draws victory out of defeat
hope out of pain
And life out of death.

Lord Christ, who emptied Yourself for our sake,

Teach us to wear our weakness as You wore Yours
So that we can be more fully formed into your image.

Amen.

Scripture

Psalm 31:9-16

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;
my eye is consumed with sorrow,
and also my throat and my belly.
For my life is wasted with grief,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails me because of affliction,
and my bones are consumed.

I have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbors,
a dismay to those of my acquaintance;
when they see me in the street they avoid me.
I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;
I am as useless as a broken pot.

For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;
fear is all around;
they put their heads together against me;
they plot to take my life.

But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord.
I have said, "You are my God.
My times are in your hand;
rescue me from the hand of my enemies,
and from those who persecute me.

Make your face to shine upon your servant,
and in your loving-kindness save me.”

Philippians 2:5-11

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited, 

but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave, 
being born in human likeness. 

And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death-- 
even death on a cross. 

Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name, 

so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend, 
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
to the glory of God the Father.

Setlist 4-9-2017

This week was the final week of Lent (Palm Sunday), and our songs were gathered with this 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:

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Here Is Our King by David Crowder* Band

Lord, I Need You by Matt Maher

Anthem by Leonard Cohen

Up on a Mountain by The Welcome Wagon

Be Thou My Vision

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. 

In the Night: We will be adding a piece to this song every week of Lent.  It traces a thread of struggle through the biblical narrative, ultimately building a case to hold hope in the midst of immense darkness.  We recorded a live version of this song last year, which you can download for free here.  

Here Is Our King: We sang this song to engage the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.  As the people who gathered to welcome him in, our assumptions about who Jesus is and what Jesus is about to do are questionable.  We can say that we understand that Jesus is going to grasp victory through defeat, glory through humility, etc., but there is still something in us that clings to a Jesus whose power looks like whatever sort of conquering images are engrained in us.  We are people who, even though we know how the story of Jesus' death turns out still have to force ourselves to slow down and engage the weight of the suffering and darkness that precedes the Resurrection.  And as a result, we rob ourselves of any hope of grasping the profundity of that Event.

Lord, I Need You: We sang this song for two reasons.  The first is the same reason that we have been singing it during some of the other weeks of Lent: to remind ourselves that the transformation that we are reckoning with is work that the Spirit is doing in us, and to rehearse offering this confession so that we can find these words in the moments we need them the most.  The second is related to the call that is presented as Jesus enters Jerusalem: will we ride with him?  Will we walk the path that he is on?  Will we follow him to the place that not even he wants to go?  If we have any hope of saying yes to any of these, we will need the aid of God.

Anthem: This is a Leonard Cohen song.  Which means it is multi-valent, dense, and profound.  We sang it at the end of Lent because we are exiting a season in which we know that we are not capable of making a perfect offering out of our lives, whether through being burt out by our lenten practices, our on again/off again relationship to our lenten practices, or our failure to even develop and attempt a lenten practice.  Lent leaves a crack in any sense of self-righteousness that we have accumulated over the past year, and makes way for the Light of Easter.  This is something I talked about in the newsletter on Friday (you can read that here), which I suppose also led to this song showing up yesterday.

Up on a Mountain: This song jumps ahead to Thursday night in the narrative of Holy Week, where we find Jesus having a breakdown in the garden of Gethsemane.  In his loneliness and his fear, we find that we are not alone--that the Christ has entered into the depths of the human condition (with more depths to come on Friday and Saturday), and has met us there.  

Be Thou My Vision:  During Lent, we depart from our typical singing of the Doxology to close our time together.  As we wander the wilderness of Lent, learning more about who we are and what we are for, we carry these words on our tongues, time and again asking God to be our vision, wisdom, and security.

-JM

ITLOTC 4-7-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Lent

Lent and the Fullness of Life

We’ve spent the last five weeks in the wilderness of Lent.  Our time in this season will come to an end one week from today on Good Friday.  This season is always difficult in one way or another—the introspective, penitent work of Lent is grueling, as is sticking with it at all—but it is important because it ultimately charts our personal spiritual growth for the coming year.  Now, charting out growth is by no means the most central purpose of Lent, but it functions this way nonetheless.  

Some of you, through your lenten practices, have learned a lot about certain parts of your life that the Spirit is working to transform, and that work is likely not finished yet (is it ever?).  Others of you have stepped in and out of some sort of practice, and you are left wondering if you even have the ability to make a consistent effort to lean into the work the Spirit is doing in your life (you are not alone!).  Those two outcomes aren’t really all that different.  One way or another, Lent teaches us something about ourselves.

Like every season of the Church calendar, the emphases that Lent brings to our worshipping lives are not meant to be relegated solely to the 40ish days preceding Easter.  Instead, Lent provides some structure—or an excuse—by which we might devote our attention to an aspect of the Christian life that is always relevant.

Jesus always stands as a mirror before us, both showing us who we were made to be and revealing how far we fall short.  Lent gives us the opportunity to practice looking in the mirror.  It helps us learn to accept the truth about who we are (or who we are not), to let it sting, and to lean into the pain of transformation.  This process isn’t fun, but it saves us.  And I don’t mean from an eternal hell, but instead from an empty existence, a temporal hell. [Side note: How did Christianity, a faith centered around a Christ whose recorded ministry is basically a string of narratives about him saving people from any number of things (false self narratives, illnesses, social stigmas, broken relationships, weddings without wine, hunger, etc.), ever become so hijacked by the idea that the saving effect it has on one’s life kicks in after we die?]  Jesus came that we might have life, and life to the fullest.

The path to life to the fullest is the space between our eyes and the Mirror.  It’s the place where our sin is laid bare before us.  Our narratives of scarcity, our sense that there is lack within us that we could remedy if only we had x, y, or z, and the dance between selfishness and self-loathing that takes place just beneath our conscious thought, are all keeping us from truly living, and they are all confronted in the person of Jesus.  Learning to accept this painful realization about ourselves offers us the ability to speak the truth about ourselves, which the recovery movement champions as the first step toward healing.  

Thus, Lent interrupts our lives with a renewed grip on who we are and what exactly Jesus is saving us from, but is also part of that very salvation.  It forms a crack in any self-righteousness that we have accumulated; a crack that we desperately need as we enter Holy Week.  Because on the other side of the darkness that waits on Friday and Saturday, there is a Light.  And that crack is going to be the way this Light reaches us.

If you want to discuss any of this further, feel free to email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

TOWN HALL

We will be having our quarterly town hall this Sunday after church. Among other things we will be discussing the future use of space in our building and possible solutions outside of our building. Please be thinking of these questions:

1. how can UBC use the space we currently have better? 
2. would I be for or against a building project on the land we own across the street on Flint? 
3. what are some specific strategies for all of our kid's space needs?

this town hall will be a little different. we will be breaking up into small groups and discussing our ideas with leadership team members.

Meet Our Newest UBCer

Marguerite "Maggie" Grace McNamee

Birthday: 3/16/17

Birth Height: 7 lb 8 oz

Birth Weight: 20 inches 

Enneagram Number: 7

Holy Week Schedule

Maunday Thursday Potluck Dinner and Communion.  Bring a dish to share and join your fellow UBCers as we make our way through the communion liturgy.  It's a time to reflect and fellowship.  Service will be located in the backside and starts @ 5:30.  Please email josh@ubcwaco.org if you have any questions.  

Good Friday service will take place on Friday evening @ 5:30.  This is a tradition Good Friday service that is somber in nature.  Children are welcome and wanted, but there will be no childcare.    The liturgy will last about 30 minutes.  That service will be located in the sanctuary and will also begin at 5:30.  Email jamie@ubcwaco.org if you have any questions.  

Thailand Shirts - http://www.ubcwaco.org/new-page/

Help support our team going to Thailand to work with UBC’s missionary partners in May.  The shirts are $20, and all proceeds go to help the team member you select from the drop down menu.  If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Graduate Luncheon

If you are graduating anytime in 2017 (may, august, or december) we would love to have you stay for lunch after church on April 30th.  This is for all who are finishing hs, college, grad school, or phd.  There will be a sign-up sheet the next three weeks in the foyer, make sure to put your name if you want to come to lunch.  This will be a special time for us to say thank you as a staff, and for you to reflect on your time at UBC.  If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org  

SWCC Easter Egg Hunt

It is that time of a year again, we are helping our friends at the South Waco Community Center through one of Waco’s largest Easter Egg Hunts.  We are dropping over 8,000 eggs this year, so we definitely need your help.  The Easter Egg Hunt is on Saturday, April 8th, at 11am.  If you would like to volunteer, you can email toph@ubcwaco.org . Volunteers will need to be at the community center by 10:30am, and we will be done by noon.  I’ve heard, anyone who volunteers receives extra candy in their easter basket!  If you have any questions, contact Toph.

UBC Volunteer Party

Do you volunteer at UBC, or volunteer with any of our community partners?  If so, please join us for a party after church, on Sunday, April 23, from 12-2:30pm.  We will provide the lunch, and the good times.  Be looking for more information about the location/details of the party in the near future, but go ahead and mark April 23rd as the party of the year.  

Work is Worship

Greeters: Ricky & Juliet 

Coffee Makers: 

Mug Cleaners: Cooleys 

Money Counter: 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: Philippians 2:5-11
• April 7th and 8th - Spring Retreat (Freshman/Sophomores)
• April 13th - Maundy Thursday
• April 14th - Good Friday
• April 16th - Easter
• April 22--The Middle Ages Baylor Theatre production of the comedy NOISES OFF— 
• April 30th - Mr. Rogers Sunday
• April 30th - Graduate Luncheon
• May 2nd - Study Hall 
• May 5th - Rend Collective @ UBC

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

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

Student Position: Samuel Moore: samuel_moore2@baylor.edu

Student Position: Leah Reed: Leah_Reed@baylor.edu

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 4-2-2017

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, or if you have a concern about any aspect of our liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

Lord of mercy,
we have gathered to be formed in the way of Christ

to become more fully
who we were made to be

spread a balm over our eyes
that we may see people like You do

 lay coals on our tongues
that we may speak truly

replace our hearts of stone
with hearts that feel

and renew our minds
with the imaginative power of Your Spirit

Amen

Scripture

Psalm 130

Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice;
let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss,
O Lord, who could stand?

For there is forgiveness with you;
therefore you shall be feared.
I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for the Lord;
in the Lord’s word is my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, wait for the Lord,
for with the Lord there is mercy;
With the Lord there is plenteous redemption,
and the Lord shall redeem Israel from all their sins.

John 9:1-12

As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.”

He kept saying, “I am the man.” But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.”

They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

Prayer

This week's prayer was from An Iona Prayer Book (p.53):

Guide and Friend
of every seeking heart,
you take upon yourself
all that burdens our lives:
our days of doubt,
our divided hearts,
our physical weakness
and that fear of the future
which is often our companion.
And you transfigure them,
freeing us of all that weighs us down.
Lord of the perplexed,
enable us today to rediscover
your amazing truth--
that in your strength
we truly can begin to walk anew
with lightened step and clearer vision,
moving from the shadows
into the clear flowing waters
of your healing, gentle grace.
Amen.

Setlist 4-2-2017

This week was the fifth week of Lent, and our songs were gathered with this 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:

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Deliver Me by David Crowder* Band

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

At the Gate by Electrofolk Revival (performed by Emily Hass)

Wayward Ones by The Gladsome Light

Be Thou My Vision

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. 

In the Night: We will be adding a piece to this song every week of Lent.  It traces a thread of struggle through the biblical narrative, ultimately building a case to hold hope in the midst of immense darkness.  We recorded a live version of this song last year, which you can download for free here.  

Deliver Me: As we draw near to Easter, this song voices the longing that is going to be addressed in the Resurrection.  In the resurrection, our deepest existential anguish is confronted and shattered.  But standing before this moment in our journey through the Christian story, the weight of tragedy, the madness of the world, our own fears, and our own tendency to be driven by scarcity, presses in all around us, and we begin to wear thin from holding on to the hope that this Jesus we have been coming to know is who we think he is.  

There's A Wideness in God's Mercy: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about There's A Wideness In God's Mercy then: This song speaks a word of mercy into our desert of Lent.  Even as we take time to notice our sin and to lean more deliberately into transformation, we sang this song to remind ourselves that the ever-wide mercy and ever-broad love of God wholly embraces us.

At the Gate:  I asked Emily what drew her to this song.  This is what she said: I forget that eternity is something to look forward to.  This song refreshes my understanding.

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.

Be Thou My Vision:  During Lent, we depart from our typical singing of the Doxology to close our time together.  As we wander the wilderness of Lent, learning more about who we are and what we are for, we carry these words on our tongues, time and again asking God to be our vision, wisdom, and security.

-JM

3-31-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Lent

Bible Madness (The Final Four)

Round 1

In the beginning.  In the beginning.  We knew this match up was special in because it featured a pair of books speaking about origins.  In the end John did what Genesis could not.  Creation theology found it's place inside of Christology.  At this point the camera panned to Colossians who, from the stands, quipped, "Find someone who says that better than me?"  John offered not a beginning, but rather pointed us in the metaphysical direction of a non-beginning.  To an eternal and everlasting Jesus.  A desperate Genesis stammered, "but, but, ... the patriarchs."  Cool as a cucumber John's Jesus quoted himself saying, "before Abraham was I am."  Genesis was quick to reply, "but how can Jesus understand who he was without Israel's identity?"  John would not be undone, "how can Israel understand her identity without Jesus?" he asked in reply.   Tom Wright stood up to clap and Walt Brueggemann walked out.  

Coach Tom Wright did his absolute best to prepare a Romans team.  He sold this program on the notion that it was about ecclesiology and not systematic theology.  This comment drew some boos from the Gospel Coalition.  Wright's team looked good for 8 chapters, but then Calvinist interpreters took over and the book went crazy.  Unfortunately for Wright he felt his team didn't even get to execute their plan which is chapters 12-16.  "It's just so hard for churches to get along.  I thought we had something to say about that, but there's always next year."  Romans has undoubtedly one of the most committed fan bases.  Those fans were visibly disappointed.  Our reporters caught up with John Piper, who had this to say with hands flying everywhere, "In HIS infinite wisdom he has predestined, before the foundations of the earth, to have Romans lose to Matthew.  WHY, we might wonder?  Why, might Gooooood keep Paul from the finals?  I. Don't. Know.  HIS ways are not my ways.  Shall the clay tell the potter how to conclude Bible madness?  THAT is madness.  I will simply take SHEER JOY in this truth. I am not forced to choose between Romans and John in the finals." 

National Championship

We gave the power back to the people.  Teaming up with the good people at survey monkey we gave you the choice.  How would this final four conclude?  6 of you voted.  What a wild turn out.  In the end John got the best of Matthew.  Results below. 

Cosmic Christ vs Incarnate Jesus. Greek Jesus vs Jewish Jesus.  Mystical Jesus vs. Sage Jesus.  A national championship game that featured Jesus vs Jesus.  John got the upper hand.  A book of signs and a book of glory overcame even the sermon on the mount.  People don't want instructions on discipleship they want something that proves God became man.  When the news of John's victory broke local Patristics professor David Wilhite celebrated, "John's trinitarian ... of course he won."  To this comment Matthew asked Wilhite what the "baptismal formula in John is again?  Oh yeah, that's right he doesn't have one.  Maybe the paraclete can help you remember that next time."  

All in all it's been a great tournament.  We learned that the minor prophets are minor for a reason.  The apocrypha might be underrated.  You still can't have the epistles without the gospels, even if Together for the Gospel would disagree.  And everyone loves John.  

SWCC Easter Egg Hunt

It is that time of a year again, we are helping our friends at the South Waco Community Center through one of Waco’s largest Easter Egg Hunts.  We are dropping over 8,000 eggs this year, so we definitely need your help.  The Easter Egg Hunt is on Saturday, April 8th, at 11am.  If you would like to volunteer, there will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer after church on Sunday, or you can email toph@ubcwaco.org . Volunteers will need to be at the community center by 10:30am, and we will be done by noon.  I’ve heard, anyone who volunteers receives extra candy in their easter basket!  If you have any questions, contact Toph.

UBC Volunteer Party

Do you volunteer at UBC, or volunteer with any of our community partners?  If so, please join us for a party after church, on Sunday, April 23, from 12-2:30pm.  We will provide the lunch, and the good times.  Be looking for more information about the location/details of the party in the near future, but go ahead and mark April 23rd as the party of the year.  

UBC Families at the Soccer Field

Friends after church this Sunday 4-2-17, the UBC families will be meeting over at the Baylor Soccer Fields for some pizza, drinks and fellowship in the Lord.  We'll toss frisbees, footballs and futball.  Interested persons should email josh@ubcwaco.org to sign up.  

Lent at the Hippodrome

Can't get enough of Lent?  Still haven't fully connected with your sinfulness?  Could you use another does of good old fashion ash poured over you head?  Come hear a series of talks on Lenten themes in the form of story at the Hippodrome on Wednesdays.  

Work is Worship

Greeters: Walters 

Coffee Makers: Emmy & Stephen 

Mug Cleaners: Dilan B & the Youth 

Money Counter: Josh M 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: John 9ish "Who's Sin?" 
• April 7th and 8th - Spring Retreat (Freshman/Sophomores)
• April 13th - Maundy Thursday
• April 14th - Good Friday
• April 16th - Easter
• April 22--The Middle Ages Baylor Theatre production of the comedy NOISES OFF— 
• April 30th - Mr. Rogers Sunday
• April 30th - Graduate Luncheon
• May 2nd - Study Hall 
• May 5th - Rend Collective @ UBC

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

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

Student Position: Samuel Moore: samuel_moore2@baylor.edu

Student Position: Leah Reed: Leah_Reed@baylor.edu

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

Liturgy 3-26-2017

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, or if you have a concern about any aspect of our liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

[This week's call to worship was written by Kim Stübben]

Welcoming and Compassionate God,

we gather knowing you have
asked us to be bold.

As you have inscribed us on the palms of your hands,

may we not forget those who are in
need of healing, justice, and mercy.

Remind us of your perfect love

and give us the hope
to reconnect to your design.

Amen

Scripture

Isaiah 49:15-18

Can a woman forget her nursing child,
or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me.

Your builders outdo your destroyers,
and those who laid you waste go away from you.
Lift up your eyes all around and see;
they all gather, they come to you.
As I live, says the Lord,
you shall put all of them on like an ornament,
and like a bride you shall bind them on.

1 John 4:17-19

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us.

Prayer

This week's prayer was from the Iona Community Worship book (73, 74):

Spirit of truth and judgment,
Who alone can cast out
the powers that grip our world
at the point of crisis,
give us Your discernment,
that we may accurately name what is evil,
and know the way that leads to peace,

Spirit of integrity,
You drive us into the desert
to search out our truth.
give us clarity to know what is right,
that we may abandon the false innocence
of failing to choose at all,
but may follow the purposes of Jesus Christ,
Amen.

Setlist 3-26-2017

This week was the fourth week of Lent, and our songs were gathered with this 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:

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

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

Pulse by Jameson McGregor

Up to the Mountain (MLK Song) by Patty Griffin

Wandering by Jameson McGregor

Be Thou My Vision

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. 

In the Night: We will be adding a piece to this song every week of Lent.  It traces a thread of struggle through the biblical narrative, ultimately building a case to hold hope in the midst of immense darkness.  We recorded a live version of this song last year, which you can download for free here.  

There's A Wideness in God's Mercy: This song speaks a word of mercy into our desert of Lent.  Even as we take time to notice our sin and to lean more deliberately into transformation, we sang this song to remind ourselves that the ever-wide mercy and ever-broad love of God wholly embraces us.

Pulse: This song is a confession that the love of God and the love that we claim to embody are not always the same thing, and a plea for God to reconnect us to God's active, dynamic, life-giving Spirit and rewrite our notions of love.

Up to the Mountain (MLK Song): This song was selected and sung by Natalie Ramirez, so I asked her for her thoughts on it--here's what she said: There's a lot of humanity and struggle and hope expressed in a simple way in this song. Sometimes life feels like it is too much. Sometimes I question myself and my ability. Sometimes it feels like the good places God wants to take me are going to be too much work or I distrust they won't actually be good. Sometimes God is hard to notice or see or feel and it's hard to see the good or even enjoy the good even when it's there. Sometimes it feels like life is only going to be hard and tiring. But there are moments and glimpses to hold onto where God speaks in what can feel like quick whispers reminding me that I am loved. Reminding me that He asks me to carry on not as an order or a test or to make me more tired but because He loves me and believes in me and is with me.  And even if this life may not have a complete peace, trusting in the Voice that may feel like it's coming and going allows me to hope that I'll hear it again and one day will know it fully.

Wandering: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about Wandering then: During Lent, we enter the wilderness to ask the question of who we are and what we are for, using Jesus as our mirror, and ask the Spirit to transform us more fully into this identity.  Though we make a point to do this for 6 weeks, this sort of wilderness wandering is something most of us do often.  The Christian life is a push-pull between being more fully formed in the way of Christ and settling back into the rhythms that we are seeking to be transformed away from.  If we look inside of ourselves for some sort of consistent cause for hope, we will not find it.  But if we look to God, we will find that God is faithful to us throughout our own ebb and flow of learning to live like Jesus.  So if we build our hope on God's faithfulness to us, we are well on our way to having more solid footing to move forward.  We sang this song to proclaim this truth, to worship God in light of it, and to remind ourselves that our overarching life of faith is tied to who God is for us (not solely if we can look in the mirror and see a perfect Christian).  You can find a studio version of this song here.

Be Thou My Vision:  During Lent, we depart from our typical singing of the Doxology to close our time together.  As we wander the wilderness of Lent, learning more about who we are and what we are for, we carry these words on our tongues, time and again asking God to be our vision, wisdom, and security.

-JM

ITLOTC 3-24-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Lent

Bible Madness Is Here (Rounds 3 & 4)

Welcome back to the second week of Bible Madness in which we move from 16 teams to the final four.  If you missed last week's action you can read about that here. 

The sweet sixteen included all four number 1 seeded gospels as well as all of the 2 seeds.  From their the field diversified with a pair of 3 seeds, a lone 4 seed, and two 5 seeds.  Not one, but two 11 seeds snuck in, but the real Cinderella story belongs to Apocrypha hopeful 1st Maccabees, who in their first tournament appearance have already upset 1st Corinthians and then destroyed Titus in a round 2 matchup.  

So let's get this round 3 action underway.  

Jerusalem Division

Round 3

Allegedly before the game Tim Tebow gave the entire Philippians squad eye black stickers with 4:13 written on them.  It might be one of Coach Apostle Paul's best teams ever, but God supplied all of their needs except a win in this case.  Top seeded Matthew was too much.  By the fourth quarter the floor looked a like a lake of fire as Jesus separated sheets from goats and real ballers from the pretenders.  

The Psalms with their crushing 150 options brought James' work to and end.  The fervent, heartfelt prayer of a righteous man will get you a lot of things, but not a victory over the Psalms.  Some reporters noted a distraction.  A spunky German fellow who called himself Martin dressed in the garb of a 16th C monk kept heckling James.  Yelling things like "strawman" and "you're as bad as revelation."  Eventually Martin was kicked out of the arena.  Martin was later heard saying, "that's fine, i've been kicked out of worse institutions."  

Round 4

We called it back before the tournament started.  This is the 1 vs 2 match we've been waiting for.  An electrifying audience made up of predominantly Jewish fans, were on their feet the whole time.  When asked about this one fan said, "it's the only gospel I can stomach and the Psalms really are the most important thing ever written."  Matthew brought his misdirection offense with his antithetical statements.  Psalms answered their imprecatory entries.  A startling moment came when 137 was ejected for the baby dashing stuff.  With the game on the line Psalms coach James Mayes used a timeout to tell his players, "though you walk through the valley of the shadow, fear no evil."  It all came down to 22.  Psalm 22 that is.  Right before he was about to die Jesus cried out, "My God, My God why have you forsaken me?"  The Psalms protested, "hey, that's my line," to which Matthew replied, "No ... that's His line."  Game over.  Shortly after the game Mardell had street vendors selling "No ... that's His line" t-shirts.  

Alexandria Division

Round 3 

Hebrews never found it's way.  Two things seemed to have plagued Hebrews.  1. Ever since Rene Girard introduced mimetic theory, interest in Hebrews has waned.  2. Scrutiny over authorship has lessened it's steam in tournament play.  Head coach Melchizedek will likely get an extension, but only if someone can find him anywhere besides Genesis 15.  Luke looked slow, but that's what we'd expect from the ox.  He'll have to tighten up play if he expects to get past a hot handed ...

Romans looked about ten chapters longer than Galatians as they dominated Galatians.  Many thought Richard Hayes's squad was prepared with a narrative substructure offense that has baffled teams all year, but Romans simply pointed out that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, including Hays.  

Round 4

The first 2 seed to make the finals will be Romans.  Tom Wright's team made mincemeat of Luke.  When asked how he did it, Wright said that they isolated all the "L" material and kept pounding the in Christ stuff in chapter 5-8.  "Ever since Schweitzer amended the reformed reading and pointed out to the grace stuff, it changed how I read the law in 1-4."  If Romans had a 6 man it was their evangelical constituency that filled up a roaring crowd of 144,000.  They could be heard shooting things like, "The kingdom doesn't save, only propitiation can do that," and "John, St. Jon of the Cross, John Calvin, John Edwards and John Piper!"  Whatever that means?  

Carthage Division

Round 3

Suffer no more.  John put an end to Job's misery with some Job 42 like mystery.  Job may have uttered things he did not know, like how to handle the Logos.  John got the party started in chapter 2 with giant wine barrels and now he's spraying champaign all the way to the elite 8.  Coach Ray Brown had this to say after the game, "if this team can resuscitate Lazarus, then they can resuscitate a final four appearance.  Bring on Isaiah!"

Indeed they will play Isaiah after Isaiah upended 2 seeded Exodus.  Moses turned out to be a bit of a one trick pony.  After he got Israel out of Egypt the complaining started and that internal strife broke this team apart.  Coach Breuggemann complained about the reffing, "The Empire! I'm convinced that Isaiah is a vigilante.  We called for traveling at least 40 times.  That just doesn't happen at this level." 

Round 4

There was a disciple who went unnamed.  A six man who's jersey was blank on the backside.  He was the story in John's victory over Isaiah.  Teammates simply called him "beloved."  Isaiah hung tight but eventually Jesus broke into the priestly prayer and from that point on John shined.  Jesus uttered a bunch of I AM statements including with one.  "I am going to win this game!"  

Rome Division 

Round 3

The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church and how about a mother and her seven sons!  1 Maccabees has stunned the gospel of Mark handing the gospels their only sweet 16 loss.  How about that?  This latest win will likely cause committee members to evaluate their inclusion of mid majors and other small conferences.  What 1 Mac has done has been unprecedented.  

The conquest is over folks.  Genesis quietly put to sleep Joshua as they separated the day and the night.  For the first time in the tournament the starting patriarchs played into the 3rd quarter.  Genesis has now played 15 seeded Zechariah, 7 seeded Jonah and 11 seeded Joshua.  Things likely only get easier for them as 12 seeded 1st Maccabees looks to play spoiler two times in a row.  

Round 4

Joining Matthew, John, Romans in the big dance will be Genesis.  Fans were inspired by 1st Maccabees run.  One fan had this to say, "i mean ... i don't really know a lot about he intertestamental period and now i want to know more because of 1st Maccabees.  It's also made me ask questions like, 'what is the cannon anyway?'" Genesis on the other hand will join Romans as the underdog in a battle with gospels John and Matthew.  

So to conclude this exciting journey we invite you to cast your vote?  Who bible madness champion.  

Sarah Bessey

As a conclusion to our celebration of women in the kingdom of God in the month of March, UBC is proud to have Sarah Bessey preaching this Sunday.  Sarah is the author of Jesus Feminist and Out Of Sorts.  Sarah is a prolific blogger, speaker and writer.  After church Sunday Sarah has agreed to join us for a women only lunch in the backside.  So if you go grab your lunch after church and come back we'll host a Q & A with Sarah.  We hope you can make it! 

UBCYP

The young professionals of UBC will gather for an extravaganza at Jameson McGregor's house on 3-25.  It will be a night filled outdoor festivities so pray against the rain ... at least over on the Live Oak Ave. area.  Interested persons who would like more information should email jamie@ubcwaco.org. 

UBC Families at the Soccer Field

Friends after church next Sunday 4-2-17, the UBC families will be meeting over at the Baylor Soccer Fields for some pizza, drinks and fellowship in the Lord.  We'll toss frisbees, footballs and futball.  Interested persons should email josh@ubcwaco.org to sign up.  

Lent at the Hippodrome

Can't get enough of Lent?  Still haven't fully connected with your sinfulness?  Could you use another does of good old fashion ash poured over you head?  Come hear a series of talks on Lenten themes in the form of story at the Hippodrome on Wednesdays.  

Work is Worship

Greeters: Blaylocks 

Coffee Makers: Kareem and Carson 

Mug Cleaners: Madison & Kaylin 

Money Counter: Nonezo 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon:  Special Guest Preacher Sarah Bessey
• April 7th and 8th - Spring Retreat (Freshman/Sophomores)
• April 13th - Maundy Thursday
• April 14th - Good Friday
• April 16th - Easter
• April 22--The Middle Ages Baylor Theatre production of the comedy NOISES OFF— 
• April 30th - Mr. Rogers Sunday
• April 30th - Graduate Luncheon
• May 2nd - Study Hall 
• May 5th - Rend Collective @ UBC

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

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

Student Position: Samuel Moore: samuel_moore2@baylor.edu

Student Position: Leah Reed: Leah_Reed@baylor.edu

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

Liturgy 3-19-2017

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, or if you have a concern about any aspect of our liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

Fountain of Living Water,

we have gathered hoping that You
will irrigate our hearts and minds

cleanse the dryness in us

and nurture the kingdom love You
have sown among us

teach us to live, and to live fully

so that we too might become fountains,
spreading Your Life and Love throughout the world.

Amen

Scripture

Exodus 17:1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.”

Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

John 4:5-42

Jesus came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.

A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.”

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” They left the city and were on their way to him.

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting.

The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”

 

Setlist 3-19-2017

This week was the third week of Lent, and our songs were gathered with this 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:

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Wandering by Jameson McGregor

Fall Afresh by Jeremy Riddle

Shadow by Jameson McGregor

House of God Forever by Jon Foreman

Be Thou My Vision

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. 

In the Night: We will be adding a piece to this song every week of Lent.  It traces a thread of struggle through the biblical narrative, ultimately building a case to hold hope in the midst of immense darkness.  We recorded a live version of this song last year, which you can download for free here.  

Wandering: During Lent, we enter the wilderness to ask the question of who we are and what we are for, using Jesus as our mirror, and ask the Spirit to transform us more fully into this identity.  Though we make a point to do this for 6 weeks, this sort of wilderness wandering is something most of us do often.  The Christian life is a push-pull between being more fully formed in the way of Christ and settling back into the rhythms that we are seeking to be transformed away from.  If we look inside of ourselves for some sort of consistent cause for hope, we will not find it.  But if we look to God, we will find that God is faithful to us throughout our own ebb and flow of learning to live like Jesus.  So if we build our hope on God's faithfulness to us, we are well on our way to having more solid footing to move forward.  We sang this song to proclaim this truth, to worship God in light of it, and to remind ourselves that our overarching life of faith is tied to who God is for us (not solely if we can look in the mirror and see a perfect Christian).  You can find a studio version of this song here.

Fall Afresh: As we enter further into Lent, our introspection can begin to conjure a weight that doesn't seem worth carrying.  We sang this song to ask for help, to ask the Spirit to cultivate transformation in us.

Shadow: There is a theme of Lent that is centered on learning how to die to ourselves in order to be more like Christ.  This song traces the internal struggle that this concept can ignite within us, using the image of talking in our sleep--having the sense of what we are trying to do, without the sense to actually execute it meaningfully.  The end of the song brings in the thought that perhaps God has given us the Word we need.  I'm not talking specifically about the Bible, though the Bible plays a role in what I'm talking about.  I'm talking about the Word-made-flesh of Jesus, who we come to know through the witness of the Bible and the embodiment of Jesus in other people who are being formed in the way of Christ.  The point isn't to offer a "solution" to the "problem" identified in the "talking in my sleep" image, but instead to suggest that God has not left us to our own devices in our transformation.  The word we couldn't call to mind has been spoken for us, and it reverberates around us even as we try to get our mouths to form it ourselves. You can find a studio version of this song here.

House of God Forever: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about House of God Forever then: This song serves as an early reminder that we will need time and again during Lent that God cares for us in the midst of our struggles (whatever they may be).  God brings safety into our danger, a feast into our hunger, and a light into our darkness.

Be Thou My Vision:  During Lent, we depart from our typical singing of the Doxology to close our time together.  As we wander the wilderness of Lent, learning more about who we are and what we are for, we carry these words on our tongues, time and again asking God to be our vision, wisdom, and security.

-JM

ITLOTC 3-17-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Lent

Bible Madness Is Here (Rounds 1 & 2)

Tournament Overview

Before we give viewers 1st and 2nd round results we'd like make a few observations.  To no ones surprise the top overall seeds went to the gospels with Matthew and his prominent position in the canon and productive season (lectionary calendar Year A) securing the #1 overall seed.

Probably the biggest scandal of the tournament is 1st Thessalonians 16 seed, all but guaranteeing a 1st round loss to Matthew. Inside sources tell us committee members leaked the following quote, "one of the two things is true.  Either we forgot about 1 Thessalonians when we were almost done making the brackets and didn't want to start over or the book was penalized for using the Greek word harpagEsometha which is often translated "rapture" thus making 1 Thessalonians responsible for dispensationalism and the Scofield Bible."  Truett's Todd Still is leading the outrage calling this "criminal!" 

The other shocking story was the first ever appearance of a Apocryphal book in the tournament after 1 Maccabees beat out 3rd John in a play in game for the 12 seed in the Rome Division.  When committee members were questioned about this, they asked the media to tell them one verse from 3rd John they memorized as kids.  After the room was silent the conversation moved on.  The other play in game was for the 16 seed in the Carthage Division between 1 & 2 Chronicles.  When asked why the pair were pitted against each other the committee responded by asking if the media had read 1 & 2 Kings.  When they replied yes, the committee argued that they'd heard all that before. 

Other scrutiny was delivered on the seeding of the Jerusalem Division.  Some fear that 2 seeded Psalms represent the best chance for the Hebrew Bible to win a national championship.  But the Psalms will tango in a division that includes a 4 seeded Philippians team, 3 seeded Jeremiah squad and as has been noted already, overall number 1 seed Matthew, leaving some to speculate that this potential elite 8 matchup might be the real national championship.  Detractors say that John and Romans will have something to say about that.  

Rome Divison

Round 1

Things were wild in the West! 12 seeded Apocryphal representative 1st Maccabees began their Cinderella quest when they stunned 1st Corinthians.  The lesson here, be careful what you do with your mother-in-law.  Look for a possible another win for 1 Mac because they'll face a 13 seeded Titus who beat what some have called an over rated 1 Samuel team.  Mark put on a clinic crushing Haggai and Pentateuch titans Genesis and Deuteronomy cruised as well sending minor prophets Micah and Zechariah home early.  Jonah prevailed in a slug fest with 1 Timothy, but ultimately won because of it's prominence in children's bibles.  Joshua upset Ephesians probably for 2 reasons.  1. He shares a name with the author of this article about bible bracketology and 2. Ephesians is disputed.  Speak the truth in love unless you are messing with a conquest narrative.  The Rome Division's most interesting first round matchup was predictably it's 8/9 game.  In what some have called the battle over feminism, Ezra said "divorce your foreign wives" and Esther said, "or deliver a nation." 

Round 2 

Well feed me a pig and call me Antiochus Epiphanies, 1 Maccabees is dancing!  That will likely come to an end next week when they take on Mark's fast pace, high octane kai enthuse offense that coach Paul Westhead loves to use.  Mark got tangled up for a second by Esther's patriarchal accusations, but then retorted, "who showed up at the tomb first?  Mic drop." 

Rome's other Sweet Sixteen matchup will feature Joshua whose conquest continued past Deuteronomy.  A cocky Joshua said, "it looks like one of us really did get to the promise land, hashtag strong and courageous." Genesis toyed with 7 seeded Jonah, but then pulled it's starting primeval eleven after a substantial first half lead.  

Carthage Divison

Round 1

The southwest will be the long forgotten quadrant of early Christianity no more!  11 seeded 2 Samuel crushed Daniel with it's Zionistic and Davidic promises.  2 Peter upset Acts leaving Robert Wall to complain "we now have no clear connection to the gospels and Paul!" 2 Corinthians veiled the faces of 2 Kings and Isaiah put in the 3rd string suffering servant early to finish crushing 2 Thessalonians.  Exodus left the building in glowing fashion after cruising past Malachi.  Philemon handled 1st Kings leaving many to wonder just how good Deuteronomistic History Conference really is.  Joel gave Job his best shot, but then the whirlwind showed up in the fourth quarter.  John employed many double entendres, but then in a rare moment of straight talk literally beat down 1 Chronicles.   After the game Ray Brown was asked about his team's performance and he said, "one word, Logos."  Starting point guard Nicodemus still looked confused.  

Round 2

The 2 Corinthians/Exodus matchup proved to be one of the better 2/7 games we've seen.  Both teams put their best Moses foot forward.  In the end the Ten Commandments proved to be too much.  When 2 Corinthians started chattering about being a new creation, Exodus painted blood on her doorpost.  Game over.  2 Peter's senseless luck came to an abrupt end.  Bildad heated up from beyond the Arc and Job cruised.  In the beginning John put on a clinic and never looked back.  David did his best, but his sin caught up with him this time.  Isaiah simply flipped open to the infancy narratives and asked 2 Samuel to find his quotes. This sets up an exciting 2/3 matchup between Exodus and Isaiah pitting perennial power 5 conferences Major Prophets and Pentateuch against each other.  

Jerusalem Division

Round 1

One might have thought that being slighted would prove to be the fuel needed for 1 Thessalonians to do something special, but that wouldn't be the case tonight.  Matthew didn't even need to call on his wisemen before the game was over.  Longtime veteran coach Ulrich Lutz had this to say after the game, "This program is playing well right now.  I feel like we are the face of Jesus."  Judges and 1 John brought their antithetical styles to the court.  Judges Wild West tribal confederacy was highlighted by Samson's new haircut which almost brought the house down, but 1 John's love proved too much.  Song of Songs lost decisively to 12 seeded Habakuk in a rare first round Minor Prophet conference victory.  Some speculate that the Song of Songs got a high seed because of the early church's allegorical reading, but was eventually weakened by both John Eldredge and True Love Waits.  That and the new perspective on Paul's careful attention to Habakkuk 2:4 led some to believe that there's something more to this sparky bunch.  Philippians replaced the national anthem with the Christ hymn and the game was over before it started. Jeremiah cruised past Obadiah.  James worked hard enough to shock Revelation.  A big Johannine loss.  This bad break for coach Tim LaHaye could be the straw that breaks the camel's back, especially after he promised that the beast would come out of Russia.  Oops there's 1 Thessalonians ... hmmm ... makes me wonder which other book got left out.  O well, Numbers won as did Psalms. 

Round 2

Matthew vs 1 John proved to be a potential Matthean/Johannine preview.  John will have to bring more than love to win that game.  Habakkuk 2:4, a one trick pony, brought it's minor prophet winning spree to an end in an easy win for Philippians who can do all things through Christ who gives them the strength.  James continued to work hard stunning Jeremiah who looked everything, but major.  The Psalms beat Numbers at it's own game, simply flipping to 119 and wearing the Penteteuch hopeful down through shear attrition.  

Alexandria Division

Round 1 

What should we say of the Alexandria Division.  This is SEC country.  Luke plodded along like an Ox all season grinding out win after win moving all the way to Jerusalem and now through Alexandria.  Nahum was nothing.  Nehemiah part of a reformed movement that couldn't wall off the efforts Leviticus and the all-American play of the Holiness Code. In a battle of Evangelical darlings, Proverbs took on Hebrews.  Between the Desiring God and Precious Moments fan bases, there wasn't a seat available in the house.   Proverbs proved to be the straw man that Ecclesiastes said it was folding to the high priest from the line of Melchizedek.  Even though God sang over Zephaniah that wasn't enough to overcome Ezekiel and his dry bones.  Francine Rivers fans were sad to see Hosea eliminated so easily by Galatians, but ladies do not despair.  Time to call your mother-in-law because in a tournament of storied 11 seeds, Ruth just upset Colossians.  Amos let it rain and the rivers flow as he plumbed Catholic hopeful 1 Peter, and the Romans Road to the final four is looking strong as they steamrolled Jude.  

Round 2

The Prodigal Son returned to the sweet sixteen as Leviticus got hung up on the technicalities of the reffing.  The supremacy of Jesus was put back on display as Hebrews blew past Ezekiel.  Galatians come out of Romans' shadow trouncing Ruth only to step back into it as Romans trounced Amos in a matchup of unbalanced teams.  Coach Tom Wright had this to say after the game, "This team is for real. I feel like we've been misunderstood for 2,000 years, but not anymore.  What coach Sanders and Coach Dunn did before me is incredible.  Now it's all about having a new perspective and these kids got it."  

Tune in next week for 3rd and 4th round action as we inch our way to the final four books of the Bible.  

Meet Our Newest Leadership Team Member

Byron Griffin 

What are you doing in Waco?:  I am the environmental science teacher at Lake Air Montessori Magnet. 

What is your fav TV Show/Movie?:  My favorite (recent) tv show is the Walking Dead. My favorite movie is Interstellar. 

Book You’ve Really Enjoyed?: I recently read The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf. It's a biography about Alexander von Humboldt, a famous (and mostly forgotten) naturalist that was the inspiration for many of our modern scientists and nature writers like Darwin, Thoreau, and Muir. 

Best Restaurant in Waco?: I've been enjoying Moroso a lot, lately. 

A Bible Verse/Chapter/Book that has been formative for you?:
Romans 8:38-39: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I often struggle with doubt and question what I believe (not inherently bad),  but this verse has helped me a number of times. 

Something we might not know about you?: I am an avid birder and on any given Saturday you can find me at the wetlands or at the lake for hours on end. 

Middle Ages Lunch After Church

The Middle Ages will be getting together for Hippodrome Brunch after church Sunday (March 19).  The Hippodrome is at 724 Austin ave.     If you have any questions email Jeff @ Jeff_Walter@baylor.edu. 

UBCYP

The young professionals of UBC will gather for an extravaganza at Jameson McGregor's house on 3-25.  It will be a night filled outdoor festivities so pray against the rain ... at least over on the Live Oak Ave. area.  Interested persons who would like more information should email jamie@ubcwaco.org. 

UBC Spring Retreat (Freshman/Sophomores only)

Spring is in the air, and I know you want to go to the lake.  We are going to do an overnight retreat at a lake house in Malakoff, TX, April 7th-8th.  The cost is $20: that will cover meals, lodging, and a shirt.  The retreat has limited space, so it will be for the first 20 people who sign-up, and pay their deposit.  We only have a handful of spots left, so make sure to sign-up.  Sign-ups will continue this week, after church.  If you have any questions, please email toph@ubcwaco.org

Lent at the Hippodrome

Can't get enough of Lent?  Still haven't fully connected with your sinfulness?  Could you use another does of good old fashion ash poured over you head?  Come hear a series of talks on Lenten themes in the form of story at the Hippodrome on Wednesdays.  

Work is Worship

Greeters: Will & Richardsons

Coffee Makers: Emmy & Stephen 

Mug Cleaners:  Cooleys 

Money Counter:  Anna Tilson 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon:  John 4ish "some sermon title i decide on later this week" 
• April 2-- UBC Families @ Soccer Fields -- More Info to Come 
• April 7th and 8th - Spring Retreat (Freshman/Sophomores)
• April 13th - Maundy Thursday
• April 14th - Good Friday
• April 16th - Easter
• April 22--The Middle Ages Baylor Theatre production of the comedy NOISES OFF— 
• April 30th - Mr. Rogers Sunday
• April 30th - Graduate Luncheon
• May 2nd - Study Hall 
• May 5th - Rend Collective @ UBC

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

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

Student Position: Samuel Moore: samuel_moore2@baylor.edu

Student Position: Leah Reed: Leah_Reed@baylor.edu

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

Black History Month Interviews

Throughout our liturgies in February, we interviewed four of our fellow ubcer's about their faith journeys and their experiences as people of color.  At the beginning of the month, I stated that we were incorporating Black History Month into our liturgy in the hope that engaging issues of race, and asking the Spirit to shape our thinking in this realm, would extend beyond February, hence our revisiting these interviews now.  

In listening to these interviews, it is my hope that we can get to know Kerri, Kareem, Leah, and Rennekia better, and gain further insight into who God is through their stories about who God has been to them in their own lives.  If you are not a person of color, I would encourage you to do the following as you listen::

1) notice that there isn’t one “black experience.” 
2) listen for the things that people (particularly church people) have done that invalidated or negatively framed this part of who they are, and ask the Spirit to help you seriously consider if you have been complicit, intentionally or not, in causing this sort of pain.
3) imagine how you can carry these sorts of difficult conversations into your own friendships, or how you might apply this curiosity in seeking out blogs, documentaries, etc. to learn from people you do not know personally (because, once again, this sort of vulnerable insight is not something that black people “owe” white people, so outside of the context of relationships, asking these sorts of questions can come across negatively).
4) notice that we live in a culture where no one really has to ask white people about their experiences; not that there is only one “white experience,” either, but our culture—even our American “evangelical” church culture—has been so saturated with white voices, a general idea of whiteness is not difficult to come by.

If you want to read more about the reason we did these interviews, check out the newsletter entry about it here.  At any rate, here are the interviews:

Kerri Fisher is a social worker, writer, and professor at Baylor University.

Kareem Shane is a powerhouse of personality who cares deeply for people, holds an MDiv from Truett Seminary, and works for the VA.

Leah Reed is a junior at Baylor University, where she is a Religion major.  She is also one of our student Leadership Team members.

Rennekia Goffney holds an MDiv from Truett Seminary, and is a gifted preacher and speaker.

As always, if you want to talk about any of this further, you can email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Liturgy 3-12-2017

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, or if you have a concern about any aspect of our liturgy, please email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Call to Worship

we have gathered to devote our attention
to the One who formed us and knows us

seeking to be formed anew
and to know as we are known

we have gathered that God might form in us

hearts of justice, mercy, and humility
and minds of empathy, care, and awareness

Spirit of Life, form us in the way of Christ

and fold us into Your story of redemption

Amen

Scripture

Nehemiah 2:1-8

In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was served him, I carried the wine and gave it to the king. Now, I had never been sad in his presence before. So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This can only be sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my ancestors’ graves, lies waste, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

Then the king said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, so that I may rebuild it.” The king said to me (the queen also was sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a date.

Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may grant me passage until I arrive in Judah; and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, directing him to give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple fortress, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the gracious hand of my God was upon me.

John 3:1-17

There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?”

Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Prayer

This week, our prayer time was a reflection on Kathleen Norris' "My Messy House" from Bread and Wine:

When I’m working as an artist-in-residence at parochial schools, I like to read the psalms out loud to inspire the students, who are usually not aware that the snippets they sing at Mass are among the greatest poems in the world.  But I have found that when I have asked children to write their own psalms, their poems often have an emotional directness that is similar to that of the Biblical Psalter.  They know what it’s like to be small in a world designed for big people, to feel lost and abandoned.  Children are frequently astonished to discover that the psalmists so freely express the more unacceptable emotions, sadness and even anger, even anger at God, and all of this is in the Bible that they hear read in church on Sunday morning.

Children who are picked on by their big brothers and sisters can be remarkably adept when it comes to writing cursing psalms, and I believe that the writing process offers them a safe haven in which to work through their desires for vengeance in a healthy way.  Once a little boy wrote a poem called, “The Monster Who Was Sorry.”  He began by admitting that he hates it when his father yells at him: his response in the poem is to throw his sister down the stairs, and then to wreck his room, and finally to wreck the whole town.  The poem concludes: “Then I sit in my messy house and say to myself, ‘I shouldn’t have done all that.'”

“My messy house” says it all: with more honesty than most adults could have mustered, the boy made a metaphor for himself that admitted the depth of his rage and also gave him a way out.  If that boy had been a novice in the fourth-century monastic desert, his elders might have told him that he was well on the way toward repentance, no such a monster after all, but only human.  If the house is messy, they might have said, why not clean it up, why not make it into a place where God might wish to dwell?

Setlist 3-12-2017

This week was the second week of Lent, and our songs were gathered with this 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:

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Just A Closer Walk With Thee

House of God Forever by Jon Foreman

Fever by Jameson McGregor

Lord, I Need You by Matt Maher

Be Thou My Vision

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. 

In the Night: We will be adding a piece to this song every week of Lent.  It traces a thread of struggle through the biblical narrative, ultimately building a case to hold hope in the midst of immense darkness.  We recorded a live version of this song last year, which you can download for free here.  

Just A Closer Walk With Thee: This song hones in on a particular aspect of Lent: a focusing of discipleship.  It confesses our need for God's help to be formed in the way of Christ, without removing any responsibility from ourselves.  It also confesses that we will likely fail time and again at leaning in to this transformation, but confesses that God has entered our condition, knows how difficult life can be, and carries the weight with us.

House of God Forever: This song serves as an early reminder that we will need time and again during Lent that God cares for us in the midst of our struggles (whatever they may be).  God brings safety into our danger, a feast into our hunger, and a light into our darkness.

Fever: This song is about how the status quo of what we are battles against our efforts to become more like Christ, and imagines this self-correcting-for-the-worse in the same way as our bodies use fevers to restore our biological environments when we are sick.  Keeping with this image, it voices a desire for a wilder pathogen to infect us and overwhelm our built-in defenses to wholly change us.  If you want to give this song another listen, you can find it here.

Lord, I Need You:  We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is was we said about Lord, I Need You then: Continuing to build our vocabulary for engaging the inner struggles of Lent, we sang this song to voice a declaration of our reliance on God's help to have any hope of transformation, and implicitly to voice a petition for God to come to our aid.

Be Thou My Vision:  During Lent, we depart from our typical singing of the Doxology to close our time together.  As we wander the wilderness of Lent, learning more about who we are and what we are for, we carry these words on our tongues, time and again asking God to be our vision, wisdom, and security.

-JM