Setlist 9-24-2017

This was the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost.  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 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:

Future/Past by John Mark McMillan

Pulse by Jameson McGregor

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

Heart With No Companion by Leonard Cohen

Your Love is Strong by Jon Foreman

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. 

Future/Past: We sang this song to put words to what we are doing when we gather for worship; namely, to locate ourselves within God's Story, which extends before and beyond the part that we occupy.  In locating ourselves within this Story, we both acknowledge that God bends low to encounter us as we are, and greets us with love, and we also make ourselves aware that the way God relates to creation in this Story places a claim on how we are to relate to everything God has made if we are to call ourselves the body of Christ.

Pulse: This song is a confession of our tendency to be selective with our love for people, such that we withhold this love from people we deem to be "others." This confession includes a petition for the Spirit to awaken us to our interconnectivity with the rest of Creation and to relate to everyone we encounter as a creature who is worthy of love.

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go: This song praises God's faithfulness to us despite our own inconsistent commitments to God.  

Heart With No Companion: This song is a reminder of God's solidarity with the hopeless, and a proclamation that the love of God meets us at our lowest points.

Your Love Is Strong: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about Your Love Is Strong then: This song gives us words to acknowledge the work of God in our lives in both mundane and significant ways, and rises into an offering of the Lord's Prayer, where we essentially ask God to keep showing up and to transform us into people who relate to one another in a way that is transformed by the grace we have received.

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 7-22-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Ordinary Time

Prayer, Pt. 3

For the past couple of months, I’ve been writing a series of posts about prayer.  If you haven’t seen the others, you can find part one here and part two here.  So far, we’ve been thinking through how to pray, and we’ll later turn to why we would pray at all.  Last month, I began talking about what we might learn about prayer from Jesus and the gospels, and this month I’m going to talk specifically about the Lord’s Prayer.

In two of the gospels, there is a moment where the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray. The account of this prayer in Luke is a bit more pared down than Matthew’s, so we’ll talk about the latter.  Let’s start with the text of the prayer itself, here’s how the NRSV translates it:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one

Let’s begin by addressing one thing up front: Jesus offers this after having said, “when you pray, pray like this.” That is distinct from “when you pray, these are the words you’re supposed to say.” It offers a structure for us to take up and allow to shape both the way we pray and the way we think about God and our place in the world.

The best way I know how to talk about this is by going one line at a time, so I’m going to do that.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.

This prayer starts with an address of God that holds within it two pretty distinct concepts.  The first is one of intimacy.  Rather than appealing to some vague deity in the heavens, Jesus appeals to the Heavenly Parent (Obviously, “Father” is used here, but the broader image this evokes does not seem to beg limiting the span of God’s care and protection of God’s children to paternal roles alone), and is presumably invoking any broad-strokes positive attribute we might ascribe to parents (nurturer, protector, guide, etc.).  With that, we locate ourselves as children of God, which anchors us not only to God on a personal level, but also outside of our individuality into the community of God’s children. 

The second part of this phrase, “hallowed be your name,” is essentially a proclamation that God is holy, which offers an interesting contrast to the opening line that evokes such intimacy.  This is also an acknowledgement of God’s Otherness from us.  

Taken together, this opening is a turning-toward God that carries within it both a sense of trust/intimacy, as well as an acknowledgement that our ability to address God rests upon God’s already having bent low to hear our prayers.

Your kingdom come.

From the opening address, the prayer moves to a petition for God’s kingdom to come.  Pinning down what that means is easier said than done.  For all Jesus’ talk about the Kingdom, he never lays out a clear definition of it, and leaves us instead with parables to chew on for a couple of thousand years.  But it seems safe to say that the Kingdom is synonymous with things being as God has intended—something that is sort of present now through the legacy of Jesus and the work of the Spirit, but is coming fully later.  In the broadest sense, praying for the Kingdom to come is a way of entering into work that God is already doing—it’s orienting ourselves alongside God in God’s work of re-creation.  

Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

This line isn’t entirely separate from the previous—after all, one might imagine that God’s Kingdom has something or other to do with God’s will being done.  To ask that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven is to acknowledge that there is, in fact, evil in the world.  And we need not obscure what this evil is—though there is plenty of evil in the world, we have a good bit of it stored within ourselves.  So, in a way, this functions as a confession.  Though fully submitting ourselves to the will of God is not even necessarily a live option for us (and if it was, how would we know?), we confess that there is a difference between God’s will for the way people relate to God and other people, and the way that we in fact relate to God and other people.  And, of course, it would also be helpful to view this confession more broadly as a petition for God to continue to transform our lives and the world around us. 

Give us this day our daily bread.

This one is pretty one the nose—it’s a petition for God to provide for our needs to live.  And I suppose it’s also a reminder to ourselves that God is our Provider.  If you in a financial situation where your food security is a given, it’s probably difficult to cultivate an urgency for having food every day, such that you find it wrapped into a form prayer offered by Jesus himself.  And because of that, it is probably easy to slip into a tacit feeling of self-sufficiency for providing for your own needs—I know that’s my experience.  If that’s you too, maybe this line offers us an opportunity to reorder our thinking about where our security comes from.  And furthermore, within a culture of consumption, an opportunity to rethink what it is we actually need to live; this is, after all a petition for our daily bread, not our daily feast.

And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.

This line takes up one of the more difficult concepts of Jesus’ teaching: that there is some sort of relationship between the way God forgives us and the way that we forgive other people.  The words that Jesus offers us here are presupposing that we are living lives that have been transformed by forgiveness, such that we are in the habit of offering the same sort of radical forgiveness that God offers to us to those who harm us in some way.  So, this is a confession that we deliver with a plea for forgiveness that includes a built-in reminder for us that the way God relates to us has a bearing on how we relate to other people.

And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one

There are some complex implications for this line, depending on what you take it to mean.  Some might read this as acknowledging that God indeed sometimes brings us to the time of trial, or leads us into temptation, on purpose to see what we’re made of.  I don’t know what to do with that.  But I do know what to do with the idea of God guiding us away from the myriad ways we harm ourselves and others, and continually rescuing us from that which would destroy us.  If that is what this line is getting at, this becomes a confession of our tendency to wander, and a plea to God to save us from ourselves. 

--

So there is a (very) brief rundown of the Lord’s Prayer.  

When you look closely, these lines carry some robust challenges for us to consider day-to-day, but the broader themes of the prayer are helpful in an of themselves for our thinking about the way we pray.

Taken together, Jesus seems to be suggesting that our prayers include language that acknowledges the divine-human relationship, acknowledges that God is on the move in the world (and expresses a desire to be brought into that work), asks God to provide for our needs (and reminds us that it is God who provides for our needs), confesses that we have sinned (and reminds us that we should deal out the same kind of forgiveness that we are asking of God), and asks that God would guide us away from harming ourselves and others.  

Or, perhaps more simply, this prayer offers us a model to speak the truth about God and the truth about ourselves. 

I meant to mention this in an earlier post: while I absolutely think that model prayers (or the Psalms) are able to help teach us to pray, they will only do that if we actively engage them, think about them, pray them, etc.  So, if you care to, print off/screenshot/bookmark the Lord’s Prayer, and find a couple of minutes every day to pray it, and then in a month or two, I’d love to hear if that practice shaped the way you pray at all.

Next month, we'll round out the "how" movement of this walk through thinking about prayer together with some prayer practices that emerged in the history of the Church.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns about this, feel free to email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Finance Team Person

UBC is looking for a finance team member.  Our fearless fiscal warrior, Josh McCormick will be bringing his time of serving to a close.  Thanks Josh, for being a champion and sharing your money advice and knowledge.  You helped steer this ship into calmer waters.  As such we are in search of a new finance team person.  If you yourself would like to be considered or you would like to nominate someone, please email josh@ubcwaco.org.  I've included some information from the bylaws below: 

(A) Purpose.  The Finance Team shall exist for the following purposes:

a.     To serve as the primary advisory group for the Leadership Team in all budgetary and financial aspects of the church. 

b.    To oversee, in coordination with the ministerial staff, yearly budgetary processes, working to create a financial ministry plan in alignment with the ethos, mission and values of UBC.

c.     To advise the staff and Leadership Team on any emergency financial matters that may arise with regards to the physical infrastructure of the church building, as well as those matters pertaining to compensation and benefits of personnel.

d.    To assess the current financial status of the church on a monthly basis and advise the staff and Leadership Team on matters concerning changes in planned ministry expenses.

e.    To advise the Human Resources/Staff Support team on all financial matters regarding new and existing personnel, including available resources concerning salaries, salary increases, insurance, taxes, etc.

f.      To advise the church body on all matters relating to stewardship, financial integrity, etc.

(C)  Qualifications.  Finance Team members shall have been an active participant in the life of UBC for at least a year, have received at least a bachelors degree level of education (or roughly an equivalent amount of experience in business or finance,) and have at least a basic understanding of financial reports and budgets.

(E)  Term.  Finance Team members shall serve for a duration lasting up to five years.  All efforts shall be made by the Finance Team to ensure that no more than two members in a given year rotate off of Finance Team due to duration requirements. While they are encouraged to remain the full five years, members may voluntarily remove themselves from their position at any time. 

St. Francis Liturgy

On Wednesday, October 4th, we're having a brief liturgy centered around the life of St. Francis of Assisi (that's his feast day).  We'll gather in the Backside at 5:30.  The life and legacy of St. Francis form a lens that is well-calibrated for ubc to use in our worship and formation, and I hope you can make it.  One part of that liturgy will be a prayer of blessing over the animals in our lives. We are not going to have any animals in the building, but you can bring or email in a photo of an animal you cherish.  If you have any questions or want to send in an animal photo, contact Jamie at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

nUBC’ers Luncheon

If you are new to UBC in the last 6 months, we would love to have you stay for lunch after church on October 1st.  This was originally scheduled for after church this Sunday, the 24th, but we were forced change that.  This meeting has been rescheduled for Sunday, October 8th.  We will tell you more about UBC’s history, how you can plug in, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have.  There will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer after church, or you can email toph@ubcwaco.org

Work is Worship

Greeters: Blaylocks 

Coffee Makers: Gerhard Stuebben 

Mug Cleaners:  

Money Counter: Anna T. 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: Matthew 20:1-16, "5 O'Clock People" 
• St. Francis Feast Day 10-4 (more info to come)
• Finance Team Meeting 10-9
• Parents Night Out 10-13
• Town Hall 10-15
• Mclennan County Orphan Care 2: Arrow Child and Family Ministries 10-18
• SWCC Halloween Festival 10-25
• Quarterly Leadership Team Meeting 10-29

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- Emma Wood:  emmaj.wood@yahoo.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

Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.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.

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Liturgy 9-17-2017

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 worship the Lord of Mercy

the One who pulls life out of death

to look back on what God has done

and to look ahead to what God is doing

and to invite the Spirit to continue to shape us

into people who live and move
like Christ in the world

amen

Scripture

Exodus 14:19-31

The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night. 

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea.

The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic.

He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth.

As the Egyptians fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained.

But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 

Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.

Matthew 18:21-35

Peter came and said to Jesus, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. 

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made.

So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.

But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’

Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.

Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’

And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Prayer

This week's prayer was from An Iona Prayer Book and is attributed to the Syrian Church (14).

Lord, open to us the sea of your mercy
and water us with full streams
from the riches of your grace
and the springs of your kindness.
Make us children of quietness and heirs of peace;
kindle in us the fire of your love
and strengthen our weakness by your power
as we become close to you and to each other.

Amen.

Setlist 9-17-2017

This was the fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost.  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 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:

Come Thou Fount

Amazing Grace by Citizens & Saints

Your Love is Strong by Jon Foreman

Breathe for Me by Jameson McGregor

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

Doxology

How They Fit In:

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

Come Thou Fount: When this song is in the set, we almost always sing it first.  This is because it offers us language to orient our attention toward inviting God to shape us around who God has been for the people of God in the past.  By some measure, one of our main concerns in our liturgy is to remember the work of God in the world.  This implication is made most plain in the second stanza that talks about raising an Ebenezer, which, if you don't know, is a monument to signify God's showing up in a time of need.  It is a monument of remembrance.  The song also has some significant themes of God's faithfulness to us, and a petition for God to transform us through God's Story.  During Ordinary time, this is doubly significant, because it mirrors the part of the story that we now find ourselves in--Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again (but hasn't yet).  These words serve to reorient us toward God in a time where we are left to work with the Spirit to look for and lean into the inbreaking of the Kingdom in our particular time and place.

Amazing Grace: We sang this song to remind ourselves of the grace of God both in our particular stories and the larger Story in which we find ourselves.  In the context of this week's sermon text, this song served to remind us of the forgiveness extended to us through the grace of God that we are called to extend to those who wrong us.

Your Love Is Strong: This song gives us words to acknowledge the work of God in our lives in both mundane and significant ways, and rises into an offering of the Lord's Prayer, where we essentially ask God to keep showing up and to transform us into people who relate to one another in a way that is transformed by the grace we have received.

Breathe For Me: This song is a prayer for re-creation.  It gives voice to the sort of wearing thin that comes about when we live in a broken world, and asks the Spirit of God to form us anew and breathe life into us.

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 is a reminder to us that God's mercy is greater than we deem reasonable, and that our thinking is much more bound by rules than God's.  We sang it to proclaim the good news, and to challenge ourselves together to imagine the breadth of God's mercy.

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

-JM

ITLOTC 9-15-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Ordinary Time

What I Really Wanted: Another Sappy Post About My Childhood Home

My favorite television show of all time is Parenthood.  The reason it is my favorite show of all time is because it is the best television show of all time.  Another reason it is my favorite show of all time is because it offered images that make sense of my life for me. 

In the last season of the show *** spoiler alert *** Zeek and Millie, the patriarch and matriarch of the Braverman clan, which the show is centered around, sell the home that they raised their four children in.  Can you see the connection between this and my life right now?  After they have moved and began unpacking, Zeek informs Millie that he can't find an autographed baseball.  Eventually he has an epiphany.  The ball is in a shoebox hidden in the rafters of the barn on the property of the home they sold.  So they go back to explain the situation to the new home owners in attempt to get Zeek's missing baseball.  

The following clip is that moment.  

The new pastor at the church my dad served for 28 is Ryan Hawley.  I have to confess to you that I was deeply suspicious of Ryan, not because of anything Ryan had done, but because I would have been suspicious of anyone who took that job after my dad.  In the last year of my dad's life, one of the hidden miracles was that the Hawley's rented the house next to my parents.  During that year Ryan would come over and talk to my dad and seek his advice.  My dad loved Ryan.  

I don't know if you believe in fairy tales, but this story includes a small version of one.  Eventually the Hawley's moved out of that house they rented and bought and remodeled a home in town.  They didn't love it, and when my sister was at my mom's house on vacation this summer she mentioned to Ryan that my mom's house was still for sale.  After a few conversations, the Hawley's decided that they would like to purchase my parent's house which, was on and off the market for five years.  

There's a scene near the end of the movie The Family Stone, when Claire Danes, who is dealing with the reality that she and her sister's finance have fallen in love with each other, confesses, "it's too much."  I suppose that the notion that the person who took the job my dad was doing for 28 years was now also going to be living in the house he built could be "too much."  But in the Christian story we are given a hermeneutic to make sense of this kind of craziness.  It's peace.  The profound and deep feeling that "this makes sense," or "this is just right."  That's how my family feels about the Hawley's buying the home we grew up in.  

On the Sunday of Labor Day weekend the Hawley family and a group of good Samaritans from the church came to the house to move all my mom's furniture into the moving truck.  During that time I showed Ryan's youngest son Sammy, who is just a few years older than I was when I moved into that house, that you could remove the grate covering the heat vent coming out underneath fire place.  I told him that it made a great dungeon to keep your bad GI Joe guys.  I then went outside and watched Ryan's middle son John-Mark pick apples of our apple tree and with his friends use tennis rackets to hit them so they exploded in the yard.  And then I talked with Ryan for about a half hour.  I showed him where the water shut off was for the house.  I showed him where our black lab was buried and I shared memories of the house. 

It wouldn't be until later that week when I was recounting this bit of the story to my childhood best friend that I realized how cathartic that moment was.  

I have had many dreams for my childhood home over the years.  One of them included me being wealthy enough to purchase that home and keep as a weekend retreat.   But if I'm honest, that never felt right.  What I realized in processing those moments I had with the Hawleys is that what I really wanted for the Holy space I grew up in is for it to be filled with life.  

I want those kids to build forts in the woods.  I want them to make Christmas memories there. I want them to go sledding on the hill beside the house.  I want them to sneak in and out of the room above the garage when they are teenagers.  I want their family to eat a million meals together there.  I want them to laugh and cry and love and lose in that house.  I want them to fill that house up with the life God has for them just like God filled it up with ours.  

Because ... that's what the kingdom does with gifts.  God gives them and then God gives them again and again and again.  And that is good because that is the best thing for us.  

OOTP Spaghetti Fundraiser

The Order of the Phoenix invites you to our Spaghetti Fundraiser this Sunday right after Church. We will be serving spaghetti with meat sauce and a vegan back bean and tomato option. You can eat here with us, or take it to go. The food will be cooked, served, and then cleaned up all by the youth! The suggested price is $5, but feel free to give as much as your heart desires. This money we raise will go directly to our students and help pay for fun stuff like camp this summer! So come eat spaghetti with us this week, and support The Order!

Family Weekend Breakfast

Family weekend at Baylor is this Sunday, and we would love to meet your family!  If you are student, bring your fam to UBC at 9:30 for a free breakfast on us.  If you are not a student, we need your help providing the breakfast food.  You can sign-up after church to help out, or email bheins@hot.rr.com .  If you have any questions, contact toph@ubcwaco.org 

nUBC’ers Luncheon

If you are new to UBC in the last 6 months, we would love to have you stay for lunch after church on the 24th.  We will tell you more about UBC’s history, how you can plug in, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have.  There will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer after church, or you can email toph@ubcwaco.org

Work is Worship

Greeters: Richardsons 

Coffee Makers: Kaylin Campbell 

Mug Cleaners:  Vince & Sarah 

Money Counter: Josh M. 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: Matthew 18:21-35 "it already is" 
• St. Francis Feast Day 10-4 (more info to come)
• Finance Team Meeting 10-9
• Parents Night Out 10-13
• Town Hall 10-15
• Mclennan County Orphan Care 2: Arrow Child and Family Ministries 10-18
• SWCC Halloween Festival 10-25
• Quarterly Leadership Team Meeting 10-29

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- Emma Wood:  emmaj.wood@yahoo.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

Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.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.

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Liturgy 9-10-2017

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 worship the Living God

with our songs
with our prayers
with our attention

to locate ourselves within God’s story

and to offer our stories to God

and to seek the Spirit to form us more fully in the way of Christ

so that we might take up
the love of Christ as our own

amen.

Scripture

Exodus 12:1-14

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household.

If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.

They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs.

You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord.

For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.

The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.

Matthew 18:15-20

Jesus said, “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.

But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Prayer

This week's prayer was from An Iona Prayer Book (25).

O God our Father, by whose mercy and might the world turns safely into darkness and returns again into light: we give into your hands our unfinished tasks, our unresolved problems, and our unfulfilled hopes, knowing that only that which you bless will prosper. To your great love and protection we commit each other and all your people, knowing that you alone are our sure defender, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

Setlist 9-10-2017

This was the fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost.  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 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:

Hope by Jameson McGregor

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

Noise by Jameson McGregor

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go 

All Creatures of Our God and King

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. 

Hope: We sang this song to begin our time together by locating ourselves within a story whose hope is described as light in darkness--not light that merely comes after darkness, but light that exists within and alongside darkness.

There's A Wideness In God's Mercy: This song is a reminder to us that God's mercy is greater than we deem reasonable, and that our thinking is much more bound by rules than God's.  We sang it to proclaim the good news, and to challenge ourselves together to imagine the breadth of God's mercy.

Noise: This song narrates the divine-human relationship, both in broad strokes and on a personal level, and notes two things: 1) humanity consistently fails at being faithful to God, but God always pivots to carry the relationship forward; and 2) God has entered into the depths of humanity and transformed what it is to be human.

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go: This song proclaims God's constancy in relation to us, and offers us the hope that not even death can separate us from the love of God.

All Creatures of Our God and King: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about All Creatures of Our God and King then: We began with this song to join our voices with the rest of creation in expressing thanks and wonder toward the Creator.  

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

-JM

ITLOTC 9-8-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Ordinary Time

There and Back Again: A Travel Log of Blessing and Letting Go

Last weekend, I went to the Tomahawk, WI, to help my mom pack up and move out of the childhood home I grew up in.  These are my reflections on that experience. 

Thursday

12:42 P.M. I drop Wendell off at a friend's house.  His school does not start until next week.  I love him and will miss him and my family, but 4 kids ages 10 and under.  2 hours in the car and a podcast download.  Is it my birthday? 

3:17 P.M. DFW Security Check.  I could take off my bulky broken arm sling, but i think there's a chance TSA agents will move me through a special line and I love attention.  I leave it on. 

5:01 P.M. Spirit announces they have overbooked our flight.  4 passengers too many.  They are giving away 2 free future flights and promise to put you on the next available flight to MSP ...

*** A sea of people make a mad dash for the ticket counter ***

ticket lady continues "... that next flight is Sunday afternoon."  An audible record scratch.  Sea of people return around and return to seats.  I wonder if we will have one of those viral videos of a security guard pulling someone from their seat.  I think this might be my 15 minutes of fame. 

5:13 P.M.  I have a "B" seat.  This is the middle.  My full figured frame and broken arm sling are disappointed.  My companions are a couple of from Austin who hoped by choosing seats "A" and "C" the one between them would remain vacated.  They give me the window seat and confess that this life hack never works.  I win. 

8:07 P.M.  My recently-graduated-Univerisy-of-Minnesota nephew picks me up to take me to my sister's house in Zimmerman, MN for night.  He's 21.  I realize how much cooler than me he is.  I hide my insecurity by over talking.   Later rationalize "he's just a millennial." 

8:45 P.M. A late dinner to go from Noodles & Co.  How does Waco still not have one of these? 

9:15 P.M. Arrive at oldest sister's house, which includes 4 of her 5 teenage children on a school night.  "DEAR GOD!"  I realize this is my life in a few years. 

10:07 P.M. Sister and I share concern that mom's entire house of 32 years will not fit into 26 foot long moving truck.  

Friday

8:02 A.M.  My contribution will be taking a car to Wal-Mart for an oil change.  I'm warned it will take a while.  I'm offered a coupon to go to Valero instead.  It will cost me 10 of my own dollars.  Wal-Mart will be covered by the $20 my sister left for me.  I go to Wal-Mart because i'm cheap.  It's takes an hour and half.  No one is in front of me.  

10:27 A.M. I'm gifted my sister's Camry and 4th son who will be my travel companion.  He's 15 ... a kind of savant.  A genius and extreme introvert.  As I talk to him for the first 45 minutes of our 4.5 hour drive to Tomahawk, WI, I can see him trying so hard.  Head nods and "uh huh"s.  He's visibly wilting as I repeatedly express my enthusiasm for Minnesota weather.   

11:01 A.M. Stop by my college roommates multi-national renewable energy company at which he's approaching senior management.  Tell the security lady that "I'm Victor from Solar Solutions here to see Greg."  I'm astonished, she rings him for me.  It goes to the voicemail.  I ask for the phone.  I'm astonished again.  She hands it to me.  I leave him an immature message.   It will be a nice surprise for Tuesday morning when he gets back into his office.  

11:30 A.M. Lunch with my old boss Michelle @ Lee Ann Chin.  How does Waco not have one of these?  Michelle is like the best person I know.  Like a Minnesota Jana Parker.  Her kids are along.  I've never met them.  They are great. 

1:13 P.M. Drive to my old college campus.  My friend is now a religion professor there. I find his office and surprise him.  I greet him with, "looks like they'l hire anyone around here!"  Guffaw.  I now realize this is exactly the kind of thing a middle age man would say.  I do mental check.  I'm 36.  Yikes.  

2:30 P.M.  We leave campus.  My nephew has given up.  He reclines his seat and puts on his earmuff headphones.  I sometimes think he pretends not to hear me.  I drive down to Summit Ave.  A street famous for it's mansions.  I look for, for sale signs.  I imagine myself in a top hat, part of a Victorian Christmas Carol group singing on this street.  I want to buy the mansions.  

*** 4 hour car ride ensures across WI farm country.  I'm startled by how many times I find myself asking, "I wonder what Jo Jo would do with that?"***

7:07 P.M. I arrive at my mom's house.  I'm not emotional.  But I begin taking photos with fury and download the Lord of the Rings soundtrack so I can listen to "concerning hobbits" on repeat.  It helps with the nostalgia.  I talk my mom into taking me and nephew out for fish fry at a restaurant on a pristine lake.  

8:03 P.M.  Greeted by some church people at the restaurant.  She's into farming and he's a fiduciary.   I love this because I get to ask her farm questions before asking him about moving my depressing retirement accountant into a Vanguard mutual fund.  I sincerely want his help, but also want him to be impressed that I know what a Vangaurd mutual fund is. 

8:13 P.M. My in-laws walk in.  They are sitting at the bar.  I sneak up behind them.  Lindsay has failed to report that I was traveling to Tomahawk even though I was planning on relocating my winter sporting equipment to their house.  They wonder what in God's name I'm doing there.   

8:42 P.M. I'm served two pieces of breaded cod and french fries.  Why does Waco not have this?  I finish eating and approach my in-laws to confirm that in fact my winter sporting goods equipment will be welcomed at their house.  I pull them in with both arms for a big hug and tell them I love them.  

10:07 P.M. My sister and the rest of her family arrive at my mom's house.  After a half hour of small talk everyone goes to bed.  I stay up.  The pastor at my dad's church has asked my mom if they can pray for her (her last Sunday) and offers the space for someone in our family to say something.  This turns out to be my role.  I spend the next hour writing a farewell to the church that taught me faith.  It's the last goodbye.  My dad has died again ... in a different way.   The writing is my grieving and my opportunity to bless. 

Saturday

8:04 A.M. My sister knocks on my door.  "Get up."  My mom sticks her head in, "what do you think, this is holiday in?"  My oldest sister has never relinquished nor stopped relishing the role of telling me what to do.  I shout, "Kristin loved that," with my groggy voice. 

8:59 A.M. I quickly realize that no one takes me or my broken arm seriously.  I'm not considered for any jobs.  Then an epiphany.  I can drive my oldest sister to the next town to pick up the moving truck.  I feel meaningful.  I'm excited. 

9:42 A.M. It's been pouring for the last half hour.  We arrive in neighboring town.  The Penske place is about as visible as Waldo.  Our map says we are there, but all we can see is t-shirt print shop and a tanning salon.  Finally, an Alaskan transplant from the real housewives of Juneau informs us that we are in fact at the Penske place.  We then spot 1, 16 foot truck in the parking lot.  It turns out this is a shirt-making-tanning-salon-moving-truck-rental business.  A 16 foot truck won't do.  We tell real housewife that we think my mom rented a 26 foot truck.  She checks the balance and agrees.   She panics and starts making calls.  We panic and start making calls.  My mom gets Merv, the Tomahawk U-Haul guy who's been promising her a 26 foot truck for weeks, on the phone.  Merv comes through.  We'll have one later that day. 

10:17 A.M. Receive scathing phone call from Lindsay.  In recounting our joyous reunion, my in-laws include the detail where I give them a big hug.  Lindsay deduces this could only have happened if i wasn't wearing my broken arm sling.  In-laws confirm.  

11:02 A.M.  Sister and I return home without a truck but with Dunkin' Donuts. My sister notes that this result matches a pattern embodied by my dad.  

3:13 P.M.  After four hours of packing and moving furniture around the house, we concede a standstill without the truck.  We mix cocktails and pull Pictionary out of the garage sale pile.  I'm partnered with my sister's youngest son. He's 13.  We call our team the "youngest-awesomes!" 

4:19 P.M.  My sister and her husband crush us all.  My nephew and niece to the left of us win almost every all play so we are continually skipped.  We have about 7 or 8 turns.  The game ends in a fight.  This is quintessential. 

7:22 P.M. Truck has arrived and some loading ensues.  Dinner is a frozen lasagna.  After dinner another game with my nephews.  Linkee.  I'm confident I will win and am off to a dynamite start securing the letters "L-I-N-K-E"  before the others have more than 2 letters.  Then a change of fate.  My newly graduated millennial nephew comes back and wins.  We play again.  He wins again.  This bothers me more than I will let on.  

8:17 P.M. A trip down to the lake to watch the sunset.  My niece joins me.  She's the other individual having as hard of a time saying goodbye to this house.  After nearly 24 hours of hobbit music I switch to epic movie soundtracks like Braveheart, Last of the Mohicans and Dances With Wolves. 

9:33 P.M. Check my church speech to make sure i still like it.  Go to bed. 

Sunday

9:27 A.M. Arrive at church early to print off my speech on the office administrator's computer.   She's on the worship team singing this Sunday.  I'm in a pickle. I find her husband.  He knows the code to her door and gets me in.  I'm saved. 

10:13 A.M.  Communion.  I pray.  My prayer acknowledges all the things ... including our last Sunday in the church my dad built.  We celebrate with our tears.  

10:22 A.M. Prayer for my mom followed by my speech.  It's like a room full of Kareems.  They all respond with "amen"s, clapping and "that's right"s.  It's enthralling.  I can feel their energy and I get way into my speech.  After i'm done a hug from the pastor and a standing ovation.  I imagine myself as the general from White Christmas shaking hands and giving hugs as I make my way down the isle.  Feeling all kinds of pride ... then the Holy Spirit whispers, "they're clapping for your mom and dad's 28 years of sacrifice and love."  I join the clapping.  

12:00 P.M.  A makeshift, we're moving, leftovers lunch. 

1:00 P.M.  Moving crew from church arrives.  They get all the furniture done in 20 minutes and stay for another hour and a half to talk and fellowship.  I decide this is some small town Wendell Berry stuff going on right here.

5:33 P.M.  I leave with my niece to go to my in-laws to transfer my winter gear and eventually pick up pizzas for dinner.   We are greeted by my father-in-law who demands we eat dinner with them.  Them ... a small party at their house.  I negotiate down to a cocktail.  We stay for an hour and during that time Pat, a woman full of spit and vinegar, confesses to me that she's Jewish.  I report that I think that's great, but I will eventually see that this is a larger confession and my reaction did not match the magnitude of her secret.  I slowly work up my emotional response until i'm stunned.  

7:00 P.M.  We arrive at Billy Bob's to pick up the pizza.  Ashley the bartender, went to my high school.  She is two years younger and reports that "when I saw Carney come up on the phone, I thought it might be you."  Kayla one of the servers and I make conversation while I'm waiting.  She was in my class in high school.  I ask about the Tomahawk woman who won the HGTV dream home.  The reveal was at Billy Bob's and Kayla was working.  After that Kayla remarks that she saw on Facebook i was home moving my mom.  She proceeds to tell me to remind my mom to change stop her mail.  It turns out Kayla subs on my mom's mail route.  I thank her for the reminder.  On the way out the door, the other server, Dee Dee stops me to tell me she loved what I said in church this morning.  I'm reminded that this kind of small town intimacy is exactly what I'll miss the most about Tomahawk. 

7:15 P.M.  Arrive to the house with four large pizzas, which was the subject of a 20 minute debate earlier in the day.  It turns out to be way too much pizza.  My aunt and uncle are here.  We talk.  Eventually I join my niece who is already down on the beach.  This is our last night ever in the house.  Tonight no hobbit music.  Just silence.  Eventually my nephews, sister, and mom join us.

11:30 P.M. Naturally, the crowd has been reduced to me and my niece.  She stayed longer than me last night.  I wouldn't be outdone tonight.  She retires to bed.  I need my solitude.  The moon's dancing on Mabel Lake.  I named my daughter after this lake.  That's how much it means to me.  

Monday

12:01 A.M. I have to go to bed.  I break the silence with "The Breaking of the Fellowship," a tune that includes the melody of the hobbit song, but in a much more dramatic and sad way.  It's a appropriate for the moment.  I turn my back to the lake and sit on my knees looking up at the 2.5 acres on which my childhood home is sitting on.  I think of my dad for the millionth time that weekend.  I bend over and kiss the ground.  "Thank you," my heart says.  To make this final walk up from the lake to my house, I take off my sandals.  I will walk on Holy Ground.  

5:35 A.M.  I'm woken by a pulsating pain in what feels like the tissue of my bicep.  I imagine for a second that my broken bone has displaced.  Then I imagine Lindsay kicking my ass for not wearing the sling.  Then I imagine paying my deductible for the surgery.  Then I stop thinking about it because I don't want to ruin my last morning at home. My nose is cold because I sleep with the windows open. 

7:13 A.M. Read my daily Eugene Peterson sermon before stripping my bed, which by this point has been reduced to a mattress on the floor.  I go take a shower.  While i'm gone my mattress has been taken and loaded on the truck.  The room I grew up in is now naked and upon discovering it empty I loose my breath like Andy's mom does in Toy Story 3.  

8:07 A.M.  There are eight of us and four vehicles departing.  We are sent out by twos.  I'm paired my mom.  I'm relieved.  I need to leave my childhood home with her.  The three vehicles depart.  We are left back to do a bit of laundry and a few last jobs.  

9:33 A.M. We finally get in our car and leave.  I tell my mom that I will walk to the end of our driveway and then to the end of our road.  I need to walk off the property.  Not drive.  On the way up the driveway I stop and snatch a few wild raspberries.  This land will nourish me one last time.  At the end of Pine Shore Ln. I ask for a picture of myself and the community board that displays the last names of the dead end street’s residents.  “Carney” is second and it is faded.  It’s time to leave.  

9:45 A.M. I realize that I need to print off my ticket and check in.  Part of Spirit Airlines "screw you, we hope you don’t really get to fly this cheap so we’ll charge you $100 to print your boarding pass at the ticket counter” strategy.  A quick call to my aunt who lives on the way.  I’m saved. 

11:00 A.M.  I begin one of the most exciting conversations of the day.  I’ve planned out a day of festive fun for my mother and myself that includes a trip back the mansion street in St. Paul.  There, in a historic neighborhood with old buildings, sits Moscow On The Hill, a Russian restaurant.  My mom vetoes it.  I reason this is lingering effects of the Cold War.  

2:02 P.M. We arrive at a famous pub with a “quaint lunch menu and a darling patio area,” my sister tells me.  She's right about all of it, but  there’s a 45 minute wait.  The Russian restaurant is across the street.  They too have an outdoor patio.  My mom agrees to give it a try.  I imagine Toph being proud of my lunch choice.  

2:51 P.M.  Lunch is exquisite.  A few vegetarian cabbage rolls and a Jim Beam and 7Up have my mom trusting the Russians again. My Russian restaurant lies just a few blocks from the start of my mansion street.  I talk her into a walk so I can dream about where I’ll retire as we comment on Gilded age architecture like we know what we are talking about.  

3:55 P.M. I’ve scheduled one last stop on the way to the airport.  Fort Snelling National Cemetery.  Second only to Arlington in size, it’s where my dad is buried.  I haven’t been there since Labor Day last year.  His grave is covered by grass this time.  He’s all tucked in.  My mom and I have a brief dialogue about Joseph's request to carry his bones. 

4:52 P.M. I’m now through security and sitting at a table in the food truck court in the airport, which has surprisingly good food.  For now I’ve just ordered carbonated water.  Saying goodbye to my mom is relatively painless.  A luxury of her new schedule, which will deliver her back the Wacoans in October.  I have to get work done.  I’ve already missed a whole day and sermons don’t write themselves.  I decide to work on the newsletter.  Who’s turn is it to write?  Mine.  Crap.  

6:01 P.M.  What should I write about? .... Nothing ....   Still nothing.  I think about my weekend.  What would David Foster Wallace do?  I have an idea.  A travel log.  I jot down a title: “There and Back Again: A Travel Log of Blessing and Letting Go.”  “That’s really good,” I think to myself. 

7:24 P.M. I’m now caught up to the present.  I haven’t moved or stopped writing.  I know about this.  It’s happened a few times in my life.  It happened when I wrote my speech for the church on Friday Night.  Elizabeth Gilbert talks about it in this video.  What to say now?  I get a little teary eyed in the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport.  I think about my wife and children. I’m now present to their absence.  I miss them dearly.   I think about all my friends.  I think about UBC.  I think about Rapoport Academy and my wife’s passion for those kids.  I think about the fact that I live next to my sister’s family.  I think about tex-mex and brisket.  I think about the Mayborne Museum and the zoo.  I think about all the great people in Waco.  

7:25 P.M. I’ve said goodbye and now I’m going home … to Waco. 

8:31 P.M.  After purchasing a gyro and running to my gate, I discover I’m the last to arrive on the plane.   I look at my ticket as they scan it.  “6E.”  Crap.  "E" is the symmetrical wicked step sister of “B” I’m in the middle again and it’s no life hack.  This time between two burly dudes with square shoulders.  I remind myself that I saved $5 by electing to not purchase my seat selection.  That’s a quarter of a poker buy in.  My choice is redeemed by my thought process.  

Tuesday

1:15 A.M. I give all the kids a goodnight kiss.  I stop in Wendell’s room last.  Like me, he is the youngest.  Like me, he has the most time to form memories and meaning in this house.  I kiss him good night.  In the morning he will get up and walk on Holy Ground. 

UBCYP Game Night

"Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, One Night Ultimate Werewolf.  If you ever heard of these or are just intrigued by their name, then please come ready to get your board gaming on with some fellow UBCYPers and their guests!  Space fights, solving murders, surviving deserts, being a spy....yes, we got your crazy imagination covered as we bring those closer to life through artistic cardboard, intriguing cards and colorful dice.  All are welcomed to come, of course, even if only to observe or relax with a glass of wine.  Tonight!!!!  Please email Jamie@ubcwaco.org if you have any questions. 

Family Weekend Breakfast

Family weekend at Baylor is coming up, and we would love to meet your family!  If you are student, bring your fam to UBC at 9:30 on the 17th for a free breakfast on us.  If you are not a student, we need your help providing the breakfast food.  You can sign-up after church to help out, or email bheins@hot.rr.com .  If you have any questions, contact toph@ubcwaco.org 

nUBC’ers Luncheon

If you are new to UBC in the last 6 months, we would love to have you stay for lunch after church on the 24th.  We will tell you more about UBC’s history, how you can plug in, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have.  There will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer after church, or you can email toph@ubcwaco.org

UBC Kids Ministry Training

Orphan Care in McLennan County

This fall UBC will collectively look at the orphan situation in Mclennan County.  What this means is that we will gather for a potluck on three different Wednesdays (9-13, 10-18, & 11-15).  For this first meeting we will be doing a interview and Q/A with Erin Wheeler from Generation Adoptions.  So if you are at all interested in how you can impact the orphan situation in Waco, please consider coming to this event and bringing a dish to share. 

Work is Worship

Greeters: Walters 

Coffee Makers: Emmy & Caroline 

Mug Cleaners:  Teddy & Wesley 

Money Counter:  Josh M. 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: Matthew 18:15-20
• 9-17 Family Weekend Breakfast 
• 9-22 Backside Event 1 
• 9-24 NUBCer Lunch 

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- Emma Wood:  emmaj.wood@yahoo.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

Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.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.

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Liturgy 9-3-2017

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 worship
the Lord of all Creation

the One who illuminates
the ordinary world with wonder

to remember who God has been
and what God has done

and to learn to look
for what God is doing

seeking to be transformed
by the Spirit of God

into people who carry light
into dark places

Amen.

 

Scripture

Exodus 3:1-15

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.

Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!”

And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters.

Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”

He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’“ God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’:

This is my name forever, 
and this my title for all generations.

Matthew 16:21-28

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? 

“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Prayer

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

Lord of every pilgrim heart,
you are beside us
and before us on the way,
surprising us
through your Spirit
at every turning on the path.
Yet, like your disciples
on the Emmaus road,
we often fail to recognize
our companion.
In this morning hour,
and in whatever the day may hold,
open our eyes
to see your presence,
that we may celebrate
with you
the gift of the morning,
O Lord of the unexpected.

Amen.

Setlist 9-3-2017

This was the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost.  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 an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

All Creatures of Our God and King

Be Thou My Vision

Rise Up by Bifrost Arts

Shadow by Jameson McGregor

Wayward Ones by The Gladsome Light

Doxology

How They Fit In:

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

All Creatures of Our God and King: We began with this song to join our voices with the rest of creation in expressing thanks and wonder toward the Creator.  

Be Thou My Vision: This song is a petition for God to walk alongside us in the midst of our ordinary lives as our vision, wisdom, security, and hope.  It is also a challenge to ourselves to order our concerns around God's concerns.  

Rise Up: We sang this song as a prayer for those who are trampled upon and treated as less than, asking that God would rise to their defense.

Shadow:  This song is about the impossible task of dying to self, and the frustrating complexity of trying to be more fully formed in the way of Christ. You can hear a studio version of this song here.

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

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

-JM

ITLOTC 9-1-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Ordinary Time

Hello UBC,

I wanted to give you an update on our potential time frame, and the work I imagine we will be doing.  The good news is the rain cleared Wednesday night, and it looks like it will not rain again in the coming days.  Many of the roads in and out of Houston are still flooded, and it will take a while for the flood waters to  recede.  I have been in consistent communication with the folks down at Ecclesia, and have told them we are ready to bring a group down when they need us.  On this initial trip, we will be working on the relief/clean-up area of this disaster.  I imagine we will be helping to clear debris, help clean out houses/businesses which have flooded, and provide help to families through Ecclesia.  We most likely will be going down next week, or the week after.  I won’t have specific dates until I hear back from the folks on the ground there.  UBC will begin collecting supplies this Sunday, as we have received a list from Ecclesia about what is needed.  We will take these supplies down whenever our group goes. If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call 254-498-2261.  Please continue to pray for all the people across south Texas and Louisiana who have been affected by this disaster, for those volunteers who are already there helping.

Hurricane Harvey Flood Relief Supplies:

Clean Up Supplies:
De-Humidifiers -- Very Important
Portable Blowers
Air Circulators
Extension Cords
Ground Fault Protectors
Pop Up Canopies
Wet / Dry Vacs

Exterior Clean Up:
Shovels
Wheelbarrows
Crowbars
Hammers
Utility Knives
Work gloves
Dust masks
Pressure Washers
Blower Fans
Ladders
Buckets
Chainsaws
Clippers
Yard tools
Tools for boarding windows
Tarps
Rope
Portable Lights
Portable Generators
Nail-guns
Sawhorses
Spray paint
Safety Glasses

Interior Clean Up:
Kitchen dishwashing gloves
Mops
Brooms
Deck Brooms
5-gallon bucket with resealable lid
Smaller buckets
Liquid laundry detergent
Liquid household cleaner
Dish soap
Bleach / Kilz
Scrub brush
Cleaning wipes
Sponges
Scouring pads
Paper towels
Disposable Rags
Can air freshener
Clothespins
Clothesline
Heavy-duty trash bags

Additional Supplies:
Insect repellant spray
Bottled Water
First Aide Kit(s)
Toiletries
Rain Ponchos

Embrace Beauty,

Toph

On Earth As It Is In Heaven

We are living in – what feels like anyways – an increasingly divided world. This division is probably not anymore real now that it has always been (there is nothing new under the sun, after all) but I seem to be aware of it more deeply, to feel it with more frequency and passion that I have ever have before. Perhaps you have been feeling it as well. I have found myself lately thinking often of this quote by Richard Rohr from his book Falling Upward, “If you go to heaven alone, wrapped in your private worthiness, it is by definition not heaven. If your notion of heaven is based on exclusion of anybody else, then it is, by definition, not heaven. The more you exclude, the more hellish and lonely your existence always is.”

            This division, our insistence on drawing lines in the sand and deciding who is in and who is out, is a very human temptation. But as Rohr reminds us – it is not a necessity. The Kingdom of Heaven is already here, and not yet fully come. When we pray the Lord’s prayer we declare this truth – “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” As I read Colossians 3:12-15 this week I was reminded of a few ways that we can participate in the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth:

12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 

            And as I watched the news and scrolled through my Facebook feed this week I saw examples of a few other ways that we can participate in the Kingdom of Heaven. You can send a doll to someone you don’t know. Or you could drive your boat across the country to save the lives of people you’ve never met. You could bake bread all through the night. Or you could open up your business for citizens and first responders alike to rest and stay safe.

This week we have seen example after example of people participating in the kingdom of God. And though I'm sure we have not seen the end of division - it has been a wonderful reminder that I can participate here and now in the work that God is doing - on earth as it is in heaven. How are you participating?

 f you have any questions or concerns about this post, feel free to email taylor@ubcwaco.org.

Orphan Care in McLennan County

This fall UBC will collectively look at the orphan situation in Mclennan County.  What this means is that we will gather for a potluck on three different Wednesdays (9-13, 10-18, & 11-15).  For this first meeting we will be doing a interview and Q/A with Erin Wheeler from Generation Adoptions.  So if you are at all interested in how you can impact the orphan situation in Waco, please consider coming to this event and bringing a dish to share. 

UBCYP Game Night

"Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, One Night Ultimate Werewolf.  If you ever heard of these or are just intrigued by their name, then please come ready to get your board gaming on with some fellow UBCYPers and their guests!  Space fights, solving murders, surviving deserts, being a spy....yes, we got your crazy imagination covered as we bring those closer to life through artistic cardboard, intriguing cards and colorful dice.  All are welcomed to come, of course, even if only to observe or relax with a glass of wine.  Mark 7p Friday, September 8th down and be sure to sign up for the next UBCYP Game Night!"

Sunday School

August 27 will be the last week of Summer Sunday School, and there will be no SS class on Labor Day weekend, September 3. Fall Sunday School will begin on September 10. Sunday School classes meet at 9:30am and focus on a variety of topics, both scriptural and cultural. This fall, there will be three adult classes to choose from, in addition to the formation for the Order of the Phoenix during that hour. Below is a brief description of each class and information for contacting the class leaders. If you have questions or want more information, add your name to the sign-up sheet on the foyer table after service this week or next week. 

“Cheers: The SS class where everybody knows your name”

Led by Jeff Walter (jeff_walter@baylor.edu), David Wilhite (David_wilhite@baylor.edu), and Adam Winn (adamwinn68@gmail.com) 

This class will be a place to grow in our relationships with God and with each other.  Each week this semester we’ll study a chapter from the book of Acts, and throughout the semester we’ll have opportunities to eat together, hang out, and get to know each other.  Whether you're new to ubc and looking to plug in, or if you’ve been around a while, you’re welcome to join us.  Cheers!

"Mental Health and Christianity" 

Led by Rose Lorona (rosemond.lorona@gmail.com) 

Mental illness is a common experience; we all know someone who has/had mental illness or has been affected by mental illness (whether we know it or not!). Despite the pervasiveness of mental illness, we sometimes fail to appropriately acknowledge mental illness out of lack of understanding, lack of awareness, fear of saying or doing something wrong, or concern of being treated differently. Mental health can be especially difficult to talk about in a church context or from a Christian perspective, which is why this Sunday school class was created. In this class, we will discuss signs and symptoms of mental illness; how mental illness is (and is not) talked about in the Bible; myths of mental illness and seeking psychological care; and how we, as individuals and the Church, can be better friends, servants, and ministers to people who are affected by mental illness. Talking about mental health may seem intimidating, even scary, but that is all the more reason to lean in and learn something new. All are welcome to attend – the diversity in experiences and thoughts on this topic will be enriching for us all!

"The Old Testament: This Should Be Rated R" 

Led by Val Fisk (val@ubcwaco.org) 

What is going on with these crazy prophets and their need to write everything in poetry?! Why is this Yahweh person so angry and mean to the nations? Why does everyone keep talking about Assyria? How does the Proverbs 31 woman manage to do all of that without power tools?!?! 

This class will focus on providing a broad introduction to the Hebrew scriptures through a timeline of Israel, major events in the life of the people of Yahweh (spoiler alert: that's God), and basic understandings of the major sections and genres of the Old Testament we have today. 

Work is Worship

Greeters: Walters 

Coffee Makers: Nances 

Mug Cleaners:  Chris Kuhl 

Money Counter:  Anna T. 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: Brother Toph will be bringing us the word from the Lord this Sunday.  Isaiah 61
• 9-8 UBCYP Game Night 
• 9-10 UBC Kids Teacher Training
• 9-13 McLennan County Orphan Care Event 1: Generation Adoptions 
• 9-17 Family Weekend Breakfast 
• 9-22 Backside Event 1 
• 9-24 NUBCer Lunch 

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- Emma Wood:  emmaj.wood@yahoo.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

Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.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.

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Liturgy 8-27-2017

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 worship the One who cares for the lowly

the One whose power
is made perfect in weakness

seeking to be formed more fully in the way of Christ

to bear His Light and Love in our lives
And to see the world through His eyes

that we might join with the Spirit of God

in grasping for the Kingdom of God
that is, and is to come

Amen.

Scripture

Exodus 1:8-2:10

Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.”

Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.

The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.

The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.”

But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?”

The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong.

And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.”

Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months.

When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.

The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him, “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said.

Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.”

So the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

Matthew 16:13-20

When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Setlist 8-27-2017

This was the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost.  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 an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

Heart Won't Stop by John Mark McMillan

Amazing Grace by Citizens & Saints

There by Jameson McGregor

Wild One by Jameson McGregor

Pulse by Jameson McGregor

Doxology

How They Fit In:

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

Heart Won't Stop: As we carry the fullness of the Christian story through ordinary time, we also carry our tendency to ebb and flow in living up to the call placed upon us by this story.  We sang this song to remind ourselves that there is nowhere we can go where God is not, and that God's pursuit of us is not conditional upon us having a season of exceptional success in living up to our calling. 

Amazing Grace: This song is a proclamation of the work God has done in our lives, and is a challenge we pose to ourselves to carry the grace of God with us in our lives.

There: This is a song about transcendence.  God stands over and above any source of anxiety we might have, no matter the gravity, and God will remain far after every dreadful thing fades away.  As a result God is an anchor for us in our worry.  This Anchor does not immediately rid us of any struggle, darkness, or pain, but it does allow us to locate ourselves within a story that isn't finished yet.

Wild One: This song is about the idolatry that results when we confuse our ideas about God with who God actually is.  There is much we can know about who God is, but this knowing is perpetually broadened over the course of life.  Because of this, we would do well to maintain a loose grip (though a grip, nonetheless) on our ideas about God, being willing to learn about, and be surprised by, God.

Pulse: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about Pulse then: This song is about the interconnectivity of creation--that the Spirit of Life is woven through the whole cosmos. It's also about our propensity to completely ignore this and decide instead which parts of God's beloved creation we want to consider worthy of love.  It is a confession of our brokenness and a petition for God to make us new.

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

-JM

ITLOTC 8-25-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Ordinary Time

Prayer, Pt.2

Last month, I began a series of newsletter posts about prayer.  If you haven’t read part one yet, you can find it here.  We will ultimately talk about both the “how” and the “why” of prayer, but we have begun with talking about the how, and specifically with thinking of the Psalms as a school of prayer.  This week I want to begin talking about some insights we gain into prayer through Jesus (you know, because presumably that’s important).  

The Lord’s Prayer is probably the most important and accessible insight Jesus provides into how to pray, but there are a couple of places I want to go outside of that first. 

To begin, I think it’s worth noting that Jesus seems to have had a preferred location to pray: away from everyone else.  There are several moments in the gospels where Jesus is said to have withdrawn to be alone and pray.  Luke 5:16 has a summative statement about this, “…Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed,” which I hope will stand in for a long parenthetical list of proof-texts that you aren’t going to look up anyway.  

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in every gospel but John (because John approaches telling Jesus’ story in a drastically different way than the rest), we find Jesus going into the wilderness to fast and be tempted.  If you look up those passages, you will not find any specific mention of Jesus praying, but it seems reasonable to assume that prayer was the default posture Jesus took during that time. 

Here at the beginning of his journey, Jesus is interrogating his own identity, removing himself from the view of other people, depriving himself of distractions and objects of desire, and instead standing as his essential self before the God who is in the habit of wandering in the desert with people.  And, though this narrative surely doesn’t find itself in the gospels for this purpose, it likely has something to teach us about prayer—there is something about the solitude of these desert days at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry that draws Jesus back out into “lonely” places to pray throughout the rest of his story.

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gets prescriptive with his preference for praying in solitude when he asserts that prayer should be done in secret.  Now, the point of this seems to be to get away from any semblance of using prayer to parade your piety before other people; to prevent you from abusing prayer to gain some sort of favor among people.  But I think it also feeds into something we noted in last month’s post about the Psalms—praying in secret takes away some of the impetus to use prayer language to paint over weakness and smooth out rough edges for the sake of looking like the person you wish you were, or, worse, the person you think other people wish you were.  Instead, solitude invites us to follow Jesus into the desert, stripped of the masks we’ve made, to encounter the Living God as our actual selves.

There are two other memorable prayer moments in Jesus’ life that echo some of what we discussed in part one of this series.  First, let’s take a look at Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane.  In that scene, we see Jesus going off alone, and expressing the actual struggle he was in the midst of at that moment (you know, not wanting to be tortured and murdered).  This prayer includes an expression of dissonance, a petition for deliverance, and a summative statement of trust.  It’s not unlike the model presented in the Psalms for such prayers.  And yet the language is not the language of the Psalms; it merely echoes their form.

Second, let’s look at the prayers of Jesus from the cross.  Of the seven statements that are recorded across the Gospels in this part of the story, three of them are prayers.  The first is “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they’re doing.”  The second is a cry of abandonment: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”  And the third is, “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.”  

Those last two are direct quotes from the Psalms: Psalm 22:1 and Psalm 31:5, respectively.  Two thoughts on that: 1) Jesus grabbed specific language from the Psalms to pray when words were obviously hard to come by; 2) that couplet is a microcosm of voicing legitimate lament within the context of a broader story where God is faithful (we might rephrase this pairing: “You have utterly abandoned me//But You are faithful, and as I fade away, I trust You”). 

[Side Note: There is also an argument to be made (and a good one) that Jesus is using these quotes as shorthand to reference the entirety of Psalm 22 and 31, or maybe even that the gospels writers use these quotes in the story as shorthand for Jesus singing these Psalms in full from the cross (that one is admittedly more of a stretch, but it is a gripping image nonetheless)]. 

But the first prayer was not from a Psalm—like Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane, it was a petition born out of circumstance. And it’s also the living out of “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  So, lest we get enamored with taking up the language of the Psalms for our prayers to the exclusion of offering our own in the moment, we find that speaking purely out of circumstance is “within the bounds” of prayer.  Jesus offers a glimpse into dancing with traditional prayer forms and authentic expression.

To draw a broad takeaway from this, admittedly somewhat disjointed and certainly incomplete, peek into the way that Jesus prayed: Christian prayer seeks to be free from the pursuit of a disingenuous external piety, and instead seeks authentically to speak to and about God as particular people in a particular time and place dealing with particular circumstances, while also having access to a much older tradition of prayer that helps us learn how to organize prayers that cover the full spectrum of the human experience, and that offers us language to petition, thank, complain to, and worship God, when we might otherwise be at a loss for words.  (If that sentence is a run-on, my computer doesn't know, and I’m not sorry.)

All this is good and well, but we have a moment in the gospels where we see the disciples straight-up ask Jesus to teach them to pray.  He responds with a form prayer that we now call the Lord’s Prayer.  Next month’s post will take a close look at that.  In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about this post, feel free to email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Women and Men's College Groups

Our college women's group will meet for the first time this Thursday, August 31st.  This group will focus on the lectionary texts for study, share life together and pray for one other.  If you have any questions, please email val@ubcwaco.org.  There will also be a sign up after church this Sunday.

Gentleman, if you are guy in college, this group is for you.  This group will start meeting on September 3rd, and it designed for you to build intentional community within the larger community of UBC.  If you have any questions, email shane_ward@baylor.edu  

Welcome Back Lunch

This Sunday after church UBC will be providing lunch catered by Crucero.  So please come with a full appetite and a good attitude.  If you have any questions about the extravaganza, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org. 

Sunday School

August 27 will be the last week of Summer Sunday School, and there will be no SS class on Labor Day weekend, September 3. Fall Sunday School will begin on September 10. Sunday School classes meet at 9:30am and focus on a variety of topics, both scriptural and cultural. This fall, there will be three adult classes to choose from, in addition to the formation for the Order of the Phoenix during that hour. Below is a brief description of each class and information for contacting the class leaders. If you have questions or want more information, add your name to the sign-up sheet on the foyer table after service this week or next week. 

“Cheers: The SS class where everybody knows your name”

Led by Jeff Walter (jeff_walter@baylor.edu), David Wilhite (David_wilhite@baylor.edu), and Adam Winn (adamwinn68@gmail.com) 

This class will be a place to grow in our relationships with God and with each other.  Each week this semester we’ll study a chapter from the book of Acts, and throughout the semester we’ll have opportunities to eat together, hang out, and get to know each other.  Whether you're new to ubc and looking to plug in, or if you’ve been around a while, you’re welcome to join us.  Cheers!

"Mental Health and Christianity" 

Led by Rose Lorona (rosemond.lorona@gmail.com) 

Mental illness is a common experience; we all know someone who has/had mental illness or has been affected by mental illness (whether we know it or not!). Despite the pervasiveness of mental illness, we sometimes fail to appropriately acknowledge mental illness out of lack of understanding, lack of awareness, fear of saying or doing something wrong, or concern of being treated differently. Mental health can be especially difficult to talk about in a church context or from a Christian perspective, which is why this Sunday school class was created. In this class, we will discuss signs and symptoms of mental illness; how mental illness is (and is not) talked about in the Bible; myths of mental illness and seeking psychological care; and how we, as individuals and the Church, can be better friends, servants, and ministers to people who are affected by mental illness. Talking about mental health may seem intimidating, even scary, but that is all the more reason to lean in and learn something new. All are welcome to attend – the diversity in experiences and thoughts on this topic will be enriching for us all!

"The Old Testament: This Should Be Rated R" 

Led by Val Fisk (val@ubcwaco.org) 

What is going on with these crazy prophets and their need to write everything in poetry?! Why is this Yahweh person so angry and mean to the nations? Why does everyone keep talking about Assyria? How does the Proverbs 31 woman manage to do all of that without power tools?!?! 

This class will focus on providing a broad introduction to the Hebrew scriptures through a timeline of Israel, major events in the life of the people of Yahweh (spoiler alert: that's God), and basic understandings of the major sections and genres of the Old Testament we have today. 

Work is Worship

Greeters: Blaylocks 

Coffee Makers: Taylors 

Mug Cleaners:  McNamees 

Money Counter: Doug M. 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon: Matthew 16:13-20 "
• 9-8 UBCYP Board Games Night 
• 9-13 McLennan County Orphan Care Event 1: Generation Adoptions 
• 9-17 Family Weekend Breakfast 
• 9-22 Backside Event 1 
• 9-24 NUBCer Lunch 

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- Emma Wood:  emmaj.wood@yahoo.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

Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.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.

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Liturgy 8-20-2017

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 worship
the Creator and Sustainer of all that is

the One Who counts all creatures
as Beautiful and Worthy of love

the One revealed in the Word who became flesh
Whose life, death and resurrection echo across space and time

speaking a Yes to love and life
and a No to hatred and death

And whose Spirit hovers over our chaos

calling us out of our tombs
to follow in the way of Christ

Amen.

 

Scripture

Genesis 45:1-15

Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.

And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.

God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay.

You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’

And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.”

Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

Matthew 15:21-28

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.”

But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Setlist 8-20-2017

This was the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost.  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 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:

Pulse by Jameson McGregor

Death In His Grave by John Mark McMillan

Mystery by Jameson McGregor (adapted from Charlie Hall)

Inbreaking by Jameson McGregor

Crown Him With Many Crowns

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. 

Pulse: This song is about the interconnectivity of creation--that the Spirit of Life is woven through the whole cosmos. It's also about our propensity to completely ignore this and decide instead which parts of God's beloved creation we want to consider worthy of love.  It is a confession of our brokenness and a petition for God to make us new.

Death In His Grave: This song is about the defeat of Death by the Resurrection of Jesus.  It stands as a reminder to us that the most fundamental existential victory has been won, and the final word about God's creation has been spoken.  It is a celebratory declaration of the work of God in the world, and a hopeful proclamation that the story of creation has been rewritten.

Mystery: "Christ has died/Christ is Risen/Christ will come again" is a refrain that has been present with the Church since its inception.  It is shorthand for the core of our story, and it is also shorthand for the fundamentally revolutionary roots of our faith.  It is a protest anthem.  Against death.  Against evil.  Against oppressive powers of all sorts.  It says, "Not even death can silence the Hope of Christ." 

Inbreaking: This song is a confession of the brokenness of the world, of the church, and of ourselves, and a petition for the Slaughtered Lamb to show us how to exit our tombs.

Crown Him With Many Crowns: We sang this song to look over our shoulder from our songs from two weeks ago.  This is what we said about Crown Him With Many Crowns then: A central focus of Ordinary Time is on seeking to be the presence of Christ in our particular time and place--that means to seek to be formed in the way of Christ in such a way that our lives are outposts of the Kingdom.  This song praises Christ as Lord, and speaks of the fact that his Kingdom is marked by peace and self-sacrificial love, thus helping us recenter on our minds on who we are called to be.

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

-JM

ITLOTC 8-18-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Ordinary Time

A Conversation Between Two Friends About Race

 

Kindergarten Commission

This Sunday we will be commissioning all #champions4thelord entering kindergarten.  If this is your child and you have not been contacted by our children's pastor taylor@ubcwaco.org, please email her and ask, "why haven't you contacted me about kindergarten commission?"  Also if you don't have a kid in Kindergarten, but are part of our community, please be praying for these #champions4thelord. 

First Youth Group Meeting of the Semester

UBC's youth group, The Order of the Phoenix, will meet for the first time this year on Wednesday August 23rd.  It's going to blow your mind.  If you have a question about our youth group, please email josh@ubcwaco.org.  

Jameson McGregor House Show (8/18)

TONIGHT August 18th, at 8pm, Jamie is playing a benefit show for his friends Casey and Brittany Ramirez as they prepare to move to China as CBF Partnership Advocates.  Tickets are $15, and all proceeds go toward their expenses.  You can get more info and purchase tickets here.

UBC Kids Back to School Movie Night/Parent Date Night (8/18)

TONIGHT from 6:30pm-9:30pm, we are going to be having a Back to School Movie Night for all UBC Kids! We will be playing games and having some back to school fun and watching a movie! (Also - I heard there's a really cool house show that night so if you're looking for childcare we've got you covered!) Dinner is NOT provided so make sure kids have eaten before they come. Please sign-up after church this Sunday, or you can email taylor@ubcwaco.org.

Work is Worship

Greeters:  Richardsons

Coffee Makers: Pereiras

Mug Cleaners:  Woods

Money Counter: Anna T. 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon:  matthew 15 "will you object?"
• 8-23 OOTP First Meeting!!! (Welcome 5th graders!) 6-8 P.M. @ UBC
• 8-27 Welcome Back Lunch after church served by Crucero 
• 9-13 McLennan County Orphan Care Event 1: Generation Adoptions 
• 9-17 Family Weekend Breakfast 
• 9-22 Backside Event 1 
• 9-24 NUBCer Lunch 

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- Emma Wood:  emmaj.wood@yahoo.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

Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.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.

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rppowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Liturgy 8-13-2017

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 worship the Living God

The One who sees us
The One Who knows us
The One Who loves us

Carrying with us joys and sorrows, celebration and loss

To devote our attention to the One
who is with us through them all

To learn to see the Kingdom among in our midst

And to learn to look
for the Kingdom to come

Amen.

Scripture

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. This is the story of the family of Jacob. 

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.” So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron. 

He came to Shechem, and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” “I am seeking my brothers,” he said; “tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” The man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’“ So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him.

They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him” —that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father.

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. 

Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.

Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.”

And his brothers agreed. When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

Matthew 14:22-33

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.

And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” 

Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 

Prayer

This week's prayer was arranged by Toph, and was heavily influenced by several collects from the Book of Common Prayer you can find here.

O God, who is Creator of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies:  we pray for our brothers and sisters in Charlottesville, and we denounce the sin of racism that has plagued our country since its inception.  We ask that you would give us the courage to stand for truth and justice, to stand against evil in peaceful protest, and to learn from and stand alongside our black sisters and brothers who have suffered under this evil for far to long.  Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and lead them and us from prejudice to truth: deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

ITLOTC 8-11-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Ordinary Time

Owning Things

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”     -  Jesus

I got a scooter.  I’ve wanted one for years.  I’ve spent more hours than you might think researching name brands like Vespa, Genuine, and Piaggio.  The reason I’ve never purchased a scooter, despite the fact that I’ve wanted one for years, is that it was not practical for our family.  We need two cars.  With six family members, two jobs, four different school locations, and all the demands of recreational activities, we’ve needed a minimum of two cars to meet transportation demand.  So even the small investment of a scooter seemed impractical given our need for two cars.

I’ve driven a Subaru Outback for the last couple years. I bought it in May of 2015 with 175K miles.  Dave Ramsey told me not to borrow money, so I paid cash for what I could.  It was terrible advice.  My car died a slow death, culminating in my refusal to replace the dead alternator.  

***

You need another detail before I can proceed with this story.  My mom brought her minivan down here last fall.  It now resides at our house.  It’s a Honda Odyssey that has a movie screen.  I love it because my kids don’t yell at me when I drive. They watch the movie.  

***

In the midst of brainstorming about what I was going to do to solve my scooter problem, it dawned on me.  Having always needed a second car to transport children and in the event of inclement weather, I’d never really considered buying a scooter.  But now !!!! …. I can use my mom’s car when need to.  So on a Thursday night I Craigslisted “scooters,” and by Friday I had test driven and purchased a 2015 Bentelli Valor with 140 miles on it.  

***

I was a business major.  I wish I had majored in something else.  I picked it because I was told it was easy.  Looking back, I think business is intuitive. It probably doesn’t need to be an entire major.  I think people should major in something like a language or sociology and then spend one year learning how to do the business they will be doing.  Anyone who I have talked to about “doing business” tells me they learned how to do it by doing it.  I liked my marketing classes, though, because that’s a kind of subset of psychology and art.  

The other exception would be my economics classes.  I had a Russian econ professor who constantly reminded us that economics was originally a branch of philosophy and he taught our class that way.  We spent an entire class period talking about why women are traditionally given diamond rings when they get engaged.  Another class period was given to chatting about the exponential value of a left shoe when you only have a right shoe.  

Every once in awhile I’d encounter an econ term that was covered in the residue of philosophical thought - language to explain human behavior in the marketplace that had pragmatic and explanatory power for the way people behave in all life.  This is why I’ve always thought that a handy way to diagnose sin is by reading a book on human economics.  

One such term is marginal diminishing utility.  It means that every time we return to an experience, our satisfaction with that object, person, or experience will be lessened.  Clothes wear out.  Children lose interest in toys.  Eventually, we move because we need a new scene.  That’s diminishing utility.

Because I was exposed to this word in college, I’ve made it part of my purchasing experience.  I’m asking, how will I feel about this in a year.  Does this thing have any chance of bringing me satisfaction in the future?  Or will it only make me happy now?  Indeed, that is a difficult question for us to answer as humans.  Sometimes we just simply don’t know.  

Because of this, I feel like I’ve gotten good at consumption.  Outside of disposable needs such as food and beverages, I don’t buy much.  My clothes usually last me about seven years and my wardrobe is minimal.  So when I do make bigger purchases or purchase “capital expenditures”  that have substantial shelf life (say, anything over a year), I usually feel good about it.

***

That is a long introduction for me to make the following point:  I LOVE MY SCOOTER.  I have so much fun riding it.  For the life of me, I cannot figure out why everyone in America with a reasonable commute and who also does not need to drive multiple human beings, does not own and drive one.  Am I in the honeymoon period with my scooter? Yes. But I suspect the marginal in my marginal diminishing utility will be ever so slight.  I take and get great joy in riding my scooter...  

Which makes me wonder about Jesus’ statement that I began with.  What does Jesus think about my relationship with stuff?

Jesus warns against money and having things all the time.  I could argue a list of pros and cons.  I could ride a bike.  I am burning fossil fuel.  I could have donated that money to charity.  It does take less fuel than most modes of transportation.  It was much less than a car.  I get to be outside when I ride it.

But that’s not actually what I’m asking.  Does Jesus consider my affection misplaced or does He take joy in my joy?  

Humans have needs.  We are not robots.  We need shelter, food, air, and clothing.  Is it okay to enjoy the things we need?  What if those needs get conflated with wants?  And how much does my life need to look like my Christian brother or sister in a developing country before I enjoy what I do have without guilt?

These are questions I think about quite a bit and cannot answer for myself in a  satisfactory manner.  So this is how I own what I have: With open hands.  The best way to love my scooter and all things that God has lent to me is by not owning them.  To be content if they were taken from me tomorrow.  Because tomorrow they will be rusty and stolen.  

Meet Our Newest HR Team Member

Name: Kristen Evans Richardson

what you do in Waco: I am the Director of Pastoral Care at Baylor

best Waco restaurant: Lula Jane’s, brunch at Homestead, Taqueria #9 (the white queso is the best!), and Zoe’s Kitchen

book, chapter, and/or verse of the bible that has been meaningful for you: Matthew 22:37-40          

favorite movie/show: This year…The Big Sick and La La Land, This is Us and Jimmy Fallon

a book that you’ve really enjoyed: This summer, How to Be Here by Rob Bell has been one where I have read and re-read chapters. 

Order of the Phoenix Meeting

After church this Sunday we will be hosting a meeting to discuss the upcoming year for the youth group.  If you are new to UBC our youth group begins when kids enter 5th grade and runs through high school.  Please either bring a lunch for your family or plan on grabbing something after church 

UBC Summer Party Dos

The summer is coming to a close, and we are throwing a party!  Join us at 6pm, on August 13th, for a grand finale to summer.  We will be eating dinner and hanging out at the Wood’s casa.  UBC will provide the main dish, as well as drinks, you need to bring a side to share with everyone.  Please sign-up after church this Sunday or next, or you can email toph@ubcwaco.org . 

Jameson McGregor House Show (8/18)

Next Friday, August 18th, at 8pm, Jamie is playing a benefit show for his friends Casey and Brittany Ramirez as they prepare to move to China as CBF Partnership Advocates.  Tickets are $15, and all proceeds go toward their expenses.  You can get more info and purchase tickets here.

UBC Kids Back to School Movie Night/Parent Date Night (8/18)

Next Friday, August 18th, from 6:30pm-9:30pm, we are going to be having a Back to School Movie Night for all UBC Kids! We will be playing games and having some back to school fun and watching a movie! (Also - I heard there's a really cool house show that night so if you're looking for childcare we've got you covered!) Dinner is NOT provided so make sure kids have eaten before they come. Please sign-up after church this Sunday, or you can email taylor@ubcwaco.org.

Work is Worship

Greeters:  Ricky & Juliet 

Coffee Makers:  Burns 

Mug Cleaners:  Nelsons

Money Counter: Hannah K 

Announcements

• Sunday Sermon:  Matthew 14:22-33 "Stay In The Boat"
• 8-13 OOTP Parent Meeting After Church @ UBC
• 8-20 Kindergarten Commission 
• 8-23 OOTP First Meeting!!! (Welcome 5th graders!) 6-8 P.M. @ UBC
• 8-27 Welcome Back Lunch after church served by Crucero 
• 9-13 McLennan County Orphan Care Event 1: Generation Adoptions 
• 9-17 Family Weekend Breakfast 
• 9-22 Backside Event 1 
• 9-24 NUBCer Lunch 

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- Emma Wood:  emmaj.wood@yahoo.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

Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.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.

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rppowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Liturgy 8-6-2017

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 worship the One
who raises up those who are falling

to find rest in the One
who is just, kind, and compassionate

in our singing, praying, listening, and reflecting,

we seek to be transformed
into Kingdom people

to be formed by the Spirit

into people who carry
the work of Christ
in our ordinary lives.

Amen.

 

 

Scripture

Genesis 32:22-31

The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had.

Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.

When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.

Then he said, "Let me go, for the day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me."

So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob."

Then the man said, "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed."

Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him.

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved."

The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

Matthew 14:13-21

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.

When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves."

Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."

They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish."

And he said, "Bring them here to me."

Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.

And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.