Setlist 9-9-2018

Yesterday 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 a brief example of one way you might think of these songs. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

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

Mystery by Jameson McGregor (adapted from Charlie Hall)

All Creatures of Our God and King by David Crowder* Band

Where God Has Always Been by Jameson McGregor

Crown Him With Many Crowns

Doxology

Recording

Here’s a demo recording of Where God Has Always Been:

How They Fit In:

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

There's A Wideness In God's Mercy: We sang this song to begin our time contemplating the wideness of the mercy within which we find ourselves. 

Mystery: This song offers us a shorthand version of the Gospel story (Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again) as an anthem to raise in the midst of struggle, and a reminder that the way of Christ is costly.

All Creatures of Our God and King: This song invites us to consider our place amongst the family of all of creation, and to offer praise to the Maker of us all.

Where God Has Always Been:  This song was written while thinking through the texts from Psalms and Isaiah from the lectionary for last week.  It is in praise of the Lord of all with their backs against the wall, reminding us that God has thrown in with the oppressed and forgotten of the world and rises to their defense.

Crown Him With Many Crowns: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about Crown Him With Many Crowns then: We sang this song to begin our time by singing about Jesus as Lord of everything.

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 9-7-18

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Ordinary Time

Have I Got A Surprise For You? (by jamie)

No, I don’t.  But here you are.  

I hope your September is shaping up to be better than average.  

You may or may not be aware that Sunday School starts this Sunday at 9:30 am.  I don’t say “may or may not” because we haven’t announced it, but because communication is a strange and complicated thing and I don’t assume that announcing it always does the trick.  But now you definitely know, right?

Good.

Because I want to use my precious newsletter week to make an appeal to you, dear reader, to attend Sunday School this semester.  We have two classes, though we have a third ready to throw in the rotation if the other two are flooded.  

The two classes are as follows:

Cheers! The Sunday School Class Where Everyone Knows Your Name will be led by Jeff Walter and Adam Winn.  That class will be focused on getting to know one another (starting with names, as you might have gathered), and the discussion will be around Galatians.  Adam is going to be doing the teaching part, and he’s a world-class scholar who is a couple of weeks out from releasing a book on Mark that has a crown of thorns and an ancient coin on the cover.  He was also my professor for a class on Mark, and I can confirm that he’s very good at what he does.  

Attention Collection will be led by Kerri Fisher and me.  That class will be focused on getting to know one another, and the discussion will be around the things that have formed the way we think about life, God, the world, ourselves, etc.

Now, you might have noticed both of those classes will be focusing on getting to know one another.  And it’s true. 

Taylor and I have been working with a team to explore the dimensions of (dis)connection in this body we call ubc, and that process has been truly wonderful and exciting.  [ALSO, YOUR VOICE CAN BE A PART OF THAT IF YOU FILL OUT THIS SURVEY BUT ONLY IF YOU DO IT BEFORE SUNDAY BECAUSE WE NEED TO MOVE ON FROM THIS DATA COLLECTION PHASE].

It feels kind of strange to be so excited about getting critical feedback, but we literally asked for it, so whatever.

I think it might be exciting because it’s difficult to address problems (great or small) without looking at them, taking the time to notice and pay attention to the pain.  

I once heard Peter Rollins quote someone somewhere as having noted that problems/symptoms/aches are prophets to us—they proclaim the truth of what is wrong, and we have to learn to listen to them if we’re going to approach healing.

I think about it often, and it seems true enough.  

But anyway, back to my appeal to you to come to Sunday School.

I’ve been processing the data we’ve received so far, and I’m compiling a MEGA document to have it all organized together.  In this process, it is clear that the best points of connection among the things we currently have in place are mi casas, sunday school, and volunteering.

Of the three, Sunday School seems to be the most accessible—you are presumably coming to church that morning anyway, which means you don’t have to muster the energy to leave the house again after work, or wait to be scheduled in a rotation to volunteer in some capacity, and if you have kids, there’s stuff for kids/youth happening during that hour as well.  

The topics of the classes will no doubt be interesting and formative, but I truly believe that their most worthwhile and enduring value will be in the connection they foster. 

But connection can only happen if you show up. 

So please show up.

And, yes, showing up can be difficult. 

And connecting with other people has its own share of difficulties and potential awkward moments.  

But I’m inclined to believe it’s worth it.

—

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, lets get coffee: feel free to email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Parents Night Out

Could you really use a break?  Would you love nothing more than to sit on your couch and listen to silence?  Does your life feel like the Duggars without the paterfamilias?  PNO might be for you then.  On Friday, September 14, we invite you to drop your kids off at UBC and have a wild night on the town on us.  Interested persons should email Taylor@ubcwaco.org to let her know.

Life's Too Short To Pretend You're Not Religious Book Club

If you want to read David Dark's Life's Too Short To Pretend You're Not Religious and talk about it with other people, email jamie@ubcwaco.org.

nUBC’ers Luncheon

If you are new to UBC in the last 6 months, we would like to invite you to lunch on the 23rd of September, after church.  We will talk to you a little bit about UBC’s history, what we are currently doing, and give you time to meet other folks who are in the same stage of church life.  If you have any questions, please email toph@ubcwaco.org

Fall Groups

We will have another sign-up for our Fall Groups this Sunday after the service.  Tables will be set-up in the sanctuary for you to get more information from the leaders, and if you have any questions before hand please email toph@ubcwaco.org   All of our groups are rolling sign-ups, so don't feel like you have to sign-up this week if you aren’t ready.

Lunch Buddies

Hello all, we will be starting up our Lunch Buddy program with Caesar Chavez soon. Lunch Buddies is a great opportunity to get involved with the community,  if you choose to participate you will be pared up with a middle schooler at CC and you will get lunch with them once a week. If you are interested sign ups will be in the foyer starting 9/16 and more information will be given to you later.

Random Pic To Generate Clickbait Traffic

Parishioner of the Week

Jon Davis, for securing a magnificent projector screen for the backside and leading the way in hanging it.

Work is Worship

Greeters:  Ricky & Rose 

Coffee Makers: College Women's Group 

Mug Cleaners:   

Money Counter:  Kuhl 

Welcome Station:  

Announcements

• Sermon Text: 
• 9-16 Mi Casa's begin 
• 9-16 Children Worker Teacher Training 
• 9-19 Faith & Family Session 1 
• 9-21 Youth Game Night w/ parents (5-6)
• 9-23 nUBC'ers Luncheon
• 9-28 Backside 
• 9-30 OOTP Taco Fund Raiser After Church
• 10-4 College Womens/Mens Group Skate Night
• 10-18/21 Junior & Senior Fall Retreat 
• 10-19 Youth Lock In (5-6)
• 10-26/27 Stay in Retreat for youth (7-12)
• 10-27 Womens college group service project 
• 10-31 OOTP Halloween Party 
• 11-9 Youth Boys and Girls Night (7-12) 
• 11-18 Youth Sunday 
• 11-4 Bring Parents to Church Day 
• 12/5 Pre-Pancake Party Mens and Womens college group 
• 12-9 Last Sunday of the fall semester/Christmas Youth (5-6)
• 12-12 Last Wednesday of fall semester/Christmas party Youth (7-12)

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- Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu

Emma Wood: emma.wood@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Jeremy Nance: Jeremy Nance <Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com>

Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@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.

JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu 

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Doug McNamee: douglas.mcnamee@gmail.com 

Catherine Ballas: catherine@refitrev.com

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.

Josh Blake: joshnblake@gmail.com

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Liturgy 9-2-2018

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

to direct our attention to the Creator and Sustainer of all that is

hoping to be formed by God’s story

that our stories would be One

and hoping that the Spirit of God would work faith in our hearts

that in our living and moving,
we might reflect the way of Christ

amen.

Scripture

Psalm 15

Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle?
who may abide upon your holy hill?
Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right,
who speaks the truth from his heart.

There is no guile upon his tongue;
he does no evil to his friend;
he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.
In his sight the wicked is rejected,
but he honors those who fear the Lord.

He has sworn to do no wrong
and does not take back his word.
He does not give his money in hope of gain,
nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
shall never be overthrown.

Mark 7:1-18, 14-15, 21-23

When the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.)

So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”

He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.’

You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”

Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.”

For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Setlist 9-2-2018

This past Sunday 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 a brief example of one way you might think of these songs. 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:

Crown Him With Many Crowns

Wayward Ones by The Gladsome Light

Come Thou Fount

Shadow by Jameson McGregor

Be Thou My Vision

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. 

Crown Him With Many Crowns: We sang this song to begin our time by singing about Jesus as Lord of everything.

Wayward Ones: This is our communion hymn, and it contemplates Christ's self-giving love that is displayed and remembered in the eucharist.

Come Thou Fount: This song offered us language to anchor our faith in who God will be for us in who God has been for us up until this point.

Shadow: This song is about the tension between what we claim to believe and the beliefs revealed in our action.

Be Thou My Vision: This song is a petition for God to reframe our sense of vision, wisdom, security, and hope; to give us an overall different lens through which to view the world and our place in 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 8-31-18

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Ordinary Time

When Church Leaders Fail

I had a conversation this week wihth a friend who got hurt by a religious figure.

That sentence, that scenario, is far too common in our church culture today.  If you’ve been following the news recently, you could point to the failure of the leadership at Willow Creek or the recent reports of the clergy abuse court findings in Pennsylvania.  

Those circumstances are formative and powerful.  “Detrimental” might be a better word to describe them.  What’s obvious in those situations is that the abuse that the survivors overome is terrible.  What’s not always obvious is what survivors should do with their positive religious experiences that happened in those places of abuse.  

What does it mean about my relationship with God when I seemed to experience God in the place of my terrible past? Was that real? Was I fooled into thinking God did something in my life? Did the bad things that happened negate the good?  

A version of this discussion has been hanging around the church for a long time.  In 311 Caecelian, the then new Bishop of Carthage in North Africa, was consecrated by Felix of Aptungi, an alleged traitor. Felix apostatized, but then he repented and was restored. The opponents of Felix, those who didn’t apostatize and remained true to the faith, were mad. So they thought that Caecelian couldn’t rightly administer the sacraments because his consecration had been done a by a tainted figure. It was no good. Caecelian was then no good either.  So the opponents decided they were going to refuse the sacraments of priests or bishops who were, in their minds, traitors. They set up their own priest, Majorinus, who was quickly replaced by Donatus.

If you look in your Christian history books, you’ll find the heresy of Donatism. But it’s not really a heresy, it’s a schism. In fact Augustine pointed out that Donatists didn’t believe anything heretical. But there was the issue about the experiences of those individuals who had followed the leadership of the traitors. Were their religious experiences invalid? The church answered no, they were not invalid. What came out of this is a doctrine called ex opera operato. It’s Latin and means “from the work carried out.” The application was this: the sin of the presiding priest or bishop couldn’t negate the work of God in the life of the recipients. It was the faith of the participant that appropriated the work of God, not the failing faith of the priest.  

I thought this was an encouraging word for us. Paul tells us that we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Even the best of us.  Even Mother Teresa. But our sin and the sin of leadership can’t hinder the goodness of God. And the sin of leadership can’t nullify the power and work of God in our lives. So if you’ve ever been hurt by a religious figure, if you’ve ever been hurt by me, then know that my mistakes can’t keep God from moving in your life. So let us move forward in the power of the resurrection.  

Random Pic To Generate Clickbait Traffic

Parishioner of the Week

Van Davis for the electric bingo games she led us in at the Fiesta extravaganza.   

Satan Slayers Softball

After a two year hiatus the Satan Slayers, UBC Co-Ed slow pitch softball team, is back in business. The Satan Slayers have a history of excellence (and a lot of losing seasons), but I cannot wait for us to forge a new legacy. We have a few spots left on the team, but we are especially looking for some females to slay with us. The season starts the week of September 17, and anyone over 18 can play. The cost will be $30 a player. Email Dilan@ubcwaco.org if you are interested.

Sunday School returns September 9th

Cheers: The SS class where everybody knows your name
Led by Jeff Walter and Adam Winn

This class will be a place to grow in our relationships with God and with each other.  Each week this semester we’ll studying from the book of Galatians, 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!

Attention Collection
Led by Jameson McGregor and Kerri Fisher

We all have a collection we've been curating since we were born.  It is composed of all the things that have challenged and formed us more fully into who we are--that have shaped what we think about ourselves and our neighbor; about God and the cosmos.  It is made up of movies, songs, books, places, memories....you get the idea.  Collections like this do their job best when we take the time to notice them, and perhaps to share them with one another.  So this class is going to be about that.  About sharing parts of ourselves with one another by sharing things have that been meaningful to us.  And in our sharing, we hope to come to know ourselves, our neighbors, and our God more fully.

Work is Worship

Greeters:  Walters

Coffee Makers: Toph & Emmy 

Mug Cleaners:  UBC Youth 

Money Counter:  

Welcome Station: Broadduses 

Announcements

• Sermon Text:  Mark 7ish 
• Sunday School Begins again on September 9th
• 9-6 Mens and Womens College Groups Begin 
• 9-14 Parents Night Out 
• 9-16 Mi Casa's begin 
• 9-16 Children Worker Teacher Training 
• 9-19 Faith & Family Session 1 
• 9-21 Youth Game Night w/ parents (5-6)
• 9-23 nUBC'ers Luncheon
• 9-28 Backside 
• 9-30 OOTP Taco Fund Raiser After Church
• 10-4 College Womens/Mens Group Skate Night
• 10-18/21 Junior & Senior Fall Retreat 
• 10-19 Youth Lock In (5-6)
• 10-26/27 Stay in Retreat for youth (7-12)
• 10-27 Womens college group service project 
• 10-31 OOTP Halloween Party 
• 11-9 Youth Boys and Girls Night (7-12) 
• 11-18 Youth Sunday 
• 11-4 Bring Parents to Church Day 
• 12/5 Pre-Pancake Party Mens and Womens college group 
• 12-9 Last Sunday of the fall semester/Christmas Youth (5-6)
• 12-12 Last Wednesday of fall semester/Christmas party Youth (7-12)

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- Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu

Emma Wood: emma.wood@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Jeremy Nance: Jeremy Nance <Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com>

Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@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.

JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu 

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Doug McNamee: douglas.mcnamee@gmail.com 

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.

Josh Blake: joshnblake@gmail.com

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Liturgy 8-26-2018

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 is near to the brokenhearted,

the One who saves those whose spirits are crushed

to enter into the story of God

and find our own stories changed

to be formed more fully by the Spirit of God into the way of Christ

that we might carry the love of God within us
and learn to live as citizens of the Kingdom of God

Amen

Scripture

Jeremiah 29:1-8

These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

This was after King Jeconiah, and the queen mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the artisans, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem. The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah sent to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

It said: Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream

Ephesians 6:10-20

Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.

With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

Prayer

This week's prayer was written by Brianna Childs:

A Prayer for Transition

Our good and gracious God,

In times when the future is so unsure, please be our sureness.

In times when we feel like we cannot go on, please be the solid rock on which we stand.

In times when the lies from fear make us doubt, please be our truth.

In times when our feelings are a roller coaster or we don't even know how to feel, please be our unwavering constant. 

In times when we fail, please give us mercy.

In times when we compare those failures to the successes of those around us, please be our identity.

In times when we begin to rely on our own plans and successes, please be our humility. 

In times when the heartbreak makes it hard to go on living, please be our comfort.

In times when a new birth brings infinite possibilities, please be our deepest joy.

In times of separation from loved ones, please be our connector.

In times when we have to say goodbye, please be our peace. 

In times when we Your plans come together perfectly, please receive every ounce of glory.

In times when we experience rejection and have nowhere to turn, please be our refuge.

In times when we follow You blindly, please be the lamp to our feet and the light to our path. 

In times when we wait for direction, please grant us patience.

In times when we do become impatient, please be our contentment.

In times when we yearn for more, whether in this life or in eternity with You, please be our all-consuming satisfaction.

In times of transition, thank you for being the God of it all.

Amen.

Setlist 8-26-2018

Yesterday 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 a brief example of one way you might think of these songs. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

Heart Won't Stop by John Mark and Sarah McMillan

Be Thou My Vision

Rise Up by Bifrost Arts

Anthem by Leonard Cohen

How Great Thou Art

Doxology

How They Fit In:

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

Heart Won't Stop: We sang this song to begin our time together by directing our attention to God's incessant pursuit of the redemption of God's creatures.

Be Thou My Vision: This song is a petition for God to reframe our sense of vision, wisdom, security, and hope; to give us an overall different lens through which to view the world and our place in it.

Rise Up: This song is a prayer for the trampled of the world, that God would rise to their defense and strike down the systems that attack them, and implicitly that God would form us into people who rise to their defense as well.

Anthem: This is a song about the Light of God entering our world through broken places, and offers us a different way to see ourselves in this broken world.

How Great Thou Art: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about How Great Thou Art then: We sang this song to begin our time together by acknowledging the glory of God in creation, what God has done in Christ, and the ongoing redemption of all creation.

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 8-24-18

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Does Kiki really love UBC? - come to the fiesta to find out

Pentecost

Fall 2018 - Community

At UBC we take the phrase "mi casa es su casa" seriously. We know one of the best ways to develop meaningful connections is through small groups.  Below you will find the groups/retreats we have for this semester.

From Mi Casas to Ladies’ Nights to Pub Group, as well as smaller discipleship groups, Bible Studies and Book Studies, we seek to create several spaces for you to sit next to and across from other UBC’ers in an environment that encourages authenticity, openness and growth. These groups change from semester to semester, and some of them have limited space available based on size constraints for healthy small groups. For more information please email toph@ubcwaco.org

This Sunday after church, and on Sunday September 9th, you will have an opportunity to learn more about these groups and sign-up.  After the service, while folks are setting up for our Fiesta, we will have the leaders/organizers of these groups in different rooms of the church.  These leaders/organizers will head straight to the room(s) after church, and hang around for about 20-30 minutes.  You will have time to go to multiple rooms, so feel free to sign-up for more than one.  You can sign-up anytime through the semester, so don't worry if you don't get a chance on Sunday.  Here are where the groups will meet for the sign-ups:

MiCasa's and Fall Retreat and Cuba Mission Trip - Youth Room
College Men's and Women's Groups - Piano Room
Women's Bible Study and UBCYP - Blue Room
Middle Ages - Children's Check-in area

MiCasa's

Small groups the meet once a week at someones house to practice discipleship and share life together. Each MiCasa takes on a life of its own.   Micasa's meet on S,M,T,W, and Th nights.  If you have any questions, email toph@ubcwaco.org    *Micasa's begin 9/16

Sunday School

If your weeknights are crowded and crazy, find community in a Sunday School classes.  Class topics change each semester and are open to anyone who wants to attend.  If you have any questions, email jamie@ubcwaco.org.    *SS starts 9/9

College Women's Group

This group meets weekly, on Thursday night at 7pm, to study the Bible, following along with the lectionary as read and preached in UBC's Sunday services. This group is a safe space to ask questions about who God is, what the Bible says, and how we as young women interact with the the text itself and with one another as a result of the text.  If you have any questions, email emmy@ubcwaco.org.     *starts 9/6

College Men's Group

Gentleman, if you are guy in college, this group is for you.  This group, which meets on Thursdays at 6:30pm, is designed for you to build intentional community within the larger community of UBC.  If you have any questions, email shane_ward@baylor.edu    *starts 9/6

Pub Group

If you enjoy beer, talking current events or discussing theology then this is the group for you. Join us at 5:30 on Wednesday evenings at the Dancing Bear Pub. 21 and up, please.  If you have any questions, email Jamie@ubcwaco.org

Women's Book Study

Ladies! This weekly bible study meets in the evenings and is centered around fellowship, discipleship and a book study. This bible study, which meets Mondays at 8pm, is for any women who are out college.  If you have any questions, email taylor@ubcwaco.org    *starts 9/10

UBCYP

This is a group for "young" "professionals." [Or, that vague category of people who have graduated college and are now working, in grad school, wondering if they should have gone to college in the first place, etc.]  We get together 2 or 3 times a semester to hang out.  If you have any questions, email Jamie@ubcwaco.org 

Middle Ages

Do you fancy yourself as an adult?  If so, join this group for lunch after church once a month.  It's guaranteed to be a swell time.  If you have any questions, email Jeff_Walter@baylor.edu 

Fall Retreat (College Juniors/Seniors)

The retreat will be October 18-21, at at beach house in Jamaica Beach.  This is a great time to meet other students, learn/discuss how to engage the world "post-college," and relax for the weekend.  The cost will be $40, and includes meals, t-shirt, and lodging.  If you have any questions email toph@ubcwaco.org 

Random Pic To Generate Clickbait Traffic

Cuba Partnership Trip - November 10-17

UBC has initiated a new partnership with the Fraternity of Baptist Churches in Cuba (FIBAC).  Our first engagement with the fraternity will be this November.  We will be participating in a theological summit, as well as doing some work around their retreat center.  The cost of the trip is roughly a $1000.  If you are interested, please see Toph after church this Sunday, or email toph@ubcwaco.org if you have any questions.

UBC Fiesta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This Sunday, 8/26, after church.....we are going to PARTY!!!  UBC will be provide the food, drink, and fun!  We will be catering mexican food from the best place in town, we will have door prizes, and we will have a few surprises you will want to see to believe!  Plan to stay after church this week, lunch is on us.  All indications are, this will be the party of the year; we will kindly know if kiki really loves UBC.

Mug and Coffee Help

UBC champions.  As you know, each week when you come in you are greeted by good looking pastors and should you so choose, a warm cup of joe that is likely poured into a stylish mug.  The hard truth is, that coffee doesn't make itself and those mugs don't clean themselves.  That my friends, is done by some #champions4thelord.  It just so happens that a lot of my mug washers and coffee makers have graduated and gone on to do smaller things.  So I'm looking for some replacements.  If you would consider serving in this ministry, please email josh@ubcwaco.org.  

Sunday School returns September 9th

Cheers: The SS class where everybody knows your name
Led by Jeff Walter and Adam Winn

This class will be a place to grow in our relationships with God and with each other.  Each week this semester we’ll studying from the book of Galatians, 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!

Attention Collection
Led by Jameson McGregor and Kerri Fisher

We all have a collection we've been curating since we were born.  It is composed of all the things that have challenged and formed us more fully into who we are--that have shaped what we think about ourselves and our neighbor; about God and the cosmos.  It is made up of movies, songs, books, places, memories....you get the idea.  Collections like this do their job best when we take the time to notice them, and perhaps to share them with one another.  So this class is going to be about that.  About sharing parts of ourselves with one another by sharing things have that been meaningful to us.  And in our sharing, we hope to come to know ourselves, our neighbors, and our God more fully.

Work is Worship

Greeters:  Blaylocks 

Coffee Makers: Winns

Mug Cleaners:  Titterington 

Money Counter:  JD Newman 

Welcome Station: Carlsons

Announcements

• Sermon Text:  Jeremiah 29:1-9 "God in Exile"
• Sunday School Begins again on September 9th
• 9-6 Mens and Womens College Groups Begin 
• 9-14 Parents Night Out 
• 9-16 Mi Casa's begin 
• 9-16 Children Worker Teacher Training 
• 9-19 Faith & Family Session 1 
• 9-21 Youth Game Night w/ parents (5-6)
• 9-23 nUBC'ers Luncheon
• 9-28 Backside 
• 9-30 OOTP Taco Fund Raiser After Church
• 10-4 College Womens/Mens Group Skate Night
• 10-18/21 Junior & Senior Fall Retreat 
• 10-19 Youth Lock In (5-6)
• 10-26/27 Stay in Retreat for youth (7-12)
• 10-27 Womens college group service project 
• 10-31 OOTP Halloween Party 
• 11-9 Youth Boys and Girls Night (7-12) 
• 11-18 Youth Sunday 
• 11-4 Bring Parents to Church Day 
• 12/5 Pre-Pancake Party Mens and Womens college group 
• 12-9 Last Sunday of the fall semester/Christmas Youth (5-6)
• 12-12 Last Wednesday of fall semester/Christmas party Youth (7-12)

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- Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com

Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu

Emma Wood: emma.wood@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Jeremy Nance: Jeremy Nance <Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com>

Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@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.

JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu 

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Doug McNamee: douglas.mcnamee@gmail.com 

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.

Josh Blake: joshnblake@gmail.com

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com

Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com

Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com

Liturgy 8-19-2018

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

to direct our attention to the One in whom we live
and move and have our being

to step into God’s story

and find our own stories reimagined

and to seek the Spirit of God

to form us in the way of Christ
and awaken us to the Kingdom of God in our midst

Amen.

Scripture

Exodus 12:1-4, 5-10, 11-14

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.

John 6:51-58

Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.

Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Prayer

This week's prayer was for teachers and students as they enter another year of education, and it was written by Allison Figley:

Father,

A prayer for education in the current broken state of society seems an overwhelming task. The statistics that label schools as a direct pipeline to prisons are simultaneously undeniable and heartbreaking. Students who are homeless, hungry, abused, or parentless enter classrooms seeking respite from the hand they have been dealt, and we expect them to focus on such seemingly trivial matters as grammar, algebra, and standardized tests. For teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, and students alike, the reality is daunting and seemingly insurmountable. It is unfortunately no surprise that over 1.2 million high school students drop out each year in the US alone, equating to 1 student every 26 seconds.

However discouraging the statistics may be, Lord, help those of us who serve as educators to remember 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

On those days that that “one kid” in our class is disruptive and refuses to participate, remind us that the same student might not know where he is sleeping that night, and give us patience and gentleness.

When a student talks back and is sent to the office on a daily basis, remind us of the student from the past just like her who apologized three years later for the way she behaved, and give us peace and understanding.

When the student who struggles daily but works so hard finally experiences a “light bulb” moment, give us the sense of mind to celebrate with him in the moment, sharing our joy with love and kindness rather than quickly moving on for lack of time.

As Galatians 6:9 charges us,

9 Let us not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Father, we pray that all who have been called to the mission of education, no matter their title, would remember these words. Though we may not always glimpse the harvest from the seeds we have sown in the moment, the blessing will come if we don’t give up and do everything in love as 1st Corinthians 16:14 implores us. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

As a church, Father, remind us to pray often for both educators and students, to build them up and encourage them on their respective journeys. And as a new school year begins, let us all remember what Nelson Mandela claimed: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” In a world that needs a drastic change for the better, we as educators pray for the courage, faith, hope, and love to be the catalyst for this change. To be the light in the darkness that so many students desperately seek. And we pray, as in Ephesians 3:16-19, “...that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

We love you, Lord, and praise you for the gift and privilege of education. May we all be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God both this school year and always.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Setlist 8-19-2018

Yesterday 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 a brief example of one way you might think of these songs. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

How Great Thou Art

All Creatures of Our God and King by David Crowder* Band

Amazing Grace by Citizens

Inbreaking 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. 

How Great Thou Art: We sang this song to begin our time together by acknowledging the glory of God in creation, what God has done in Christ, and the ongoing redemption of all creation.

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 sang this song to join our voices with the whole of creation acknowledging the grandeur of what God has made.

Amazing Grace: This song offers us language to express the work of God's grace in our lives, and challenges us to be present to the ongoing work of God in who we are becoming.

Inbreaking: This song is a plea for God to break into the chaos of our lives and raise up the Kingdom in our midst.

Wayward Ones: This song invites us to remember the self-giving love of Christ as we participate in communion.

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 8-17-18

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Pentecost

The Psalm for this week in the Lectionary is Psalm 111. It reads as following: 

1 Praise the Lord.

I will extol the Lord with all my heart
    in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

2 Great are the works of the Lord;
    they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
    he remembers his covenant forever.

6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
    giving them the lands of other nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established for ever and ever,
    enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He provided redemption for his people;
    he ordained his covenant forever—
    holy and awesome is his name.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
    all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
    To him belongs eternal praise.

I love the Psalms, in part, because their language about God is so comforting. Great are the works of the Lord. Glorious and majestic are God’s deeds. God’s righteousness endures forever. The Lord is gracious and compassionate. The works of God’s hands are faithful and just and God’s precepts are trustworthy. God provides redemption for his people. Holy and awesome is God’s name. To God belongs eternal praise. These are words that give me comfort – they strengthen me on days when I cannot find my own resolve. They remind me that God is bigger and better than I can ever understand.

But I was struck this week by v.5 - particularly the beginning. “He provides food for those who fear Him.” And as I thought about why it stuck out to me I realized because I could think of story after story after story of people who loved God, who had made the fear of the Lord the path of their life – and who still could give voice to the fact that on more than one occasion they had not been provided the food that they needed.

I thought of friends I knew growing up who sometimes didn’t know where their next meal was going to come from. I thought of my fellow seminary students during my time at Truett – and grad students in general – showing up to every situation where free food was offered. I thought about the new friends I’d made in Cuba – some of whom could recall times when food was scarce in the whole country. There just wasn’t enough to go around. And it just seemed to me that sometimes – that’s not true. That there isn’t food – even for those who fear the Lord.

But then I remembered one of my favorite stories from Parker Palmer. About a miracle he experienced once on a plane ride from Saskatoon to Detroit. The story goes like this:

After a speech in Saskatoon, I boarded a 6 a.m. Air Canada flight home to Wisconsin. Our departure was delayed because the truck that brings coffee to the planes had broken down. After a while the pilot said, “We’re going to take off without the coffee. We want to get you to Detroit on time.”I was up front where all the “road warriors” sit — a surly tribe, especially at that early hour. They began griping, loudly and at length, about “incompetence,” “lousy service,” etc.

Once we got into the air, the lead flight attendant came to the center of the aisle with her mike and said, “Good morning! We’re flying to Minneapolis today at an altitude of 30 feet…”That, of course, evoked more scorn from the road warriors.Then she said, “Now that I have your attention… I know you’re upset about the coffee. Well, get over it! Start sharing stuff with your seatmates. That bag of five peanuts you got on your last flight and put in your pocket? Tear it open and pass them around! Got gum or mints? Share them! You can’t read all the sections of your paper at once. Offer them to each other! Show off the pictures of kids and grandkids you have in your wallets!”As she went on in that vein, people began laughing and doing what she had told them to do. A surly scene turned into summer camp!

An hour later, as the attendant passed by my seat, I signaled to her. “What you did was really amazing,” I said. “Where can I send a letter of commendation?”“Thanks,” she said, “I’ll get you a form.” Then she leaned down and whispered, “The loaves and fishes are not dead.”

-Parker Palmer

And so I was reminded by Palmer of the miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand. And about how when Jesus said, “Feed these people.” the disciples looked at each other and then they looked at Jesus (and then back at each other – in my imagination at least) and said, “We’ve got nothing.” And Jesus said, “Well let’s give it all we got.” 

And I found myself again strangely comforted by the Psalms (and, as always - by the Gospel). By the idea that maybe we are the miracle. That maybe (definitely) the way that God provides food for those who fear him is through us. I found myself encouraged by the disciples (as bumbling as they can be) and their willingness to admit that they did not have enough – their meager offerings would not fix the problem at hand. Because it is precisely in our weakness that we lean on God’s strength. It is only when we come to end of ourselves that we can be sure that we are relying on God.

            And so I hope moving forward that my question will no longer be, “God – why do these people not have food?” but rather, “God – how have we failed to provide for these brothers and sisters? Please show me what I can do better.”

If this is something you’re also learning to pray – I’d love to talk to you about it. And as always if you want to talk about any of this, feel free to email me at taylor@ubcwaco.org.

Kindergarten Commissioning

We will be commissioning our kindergartners this Sunday so please be in prayer for them as they enter our liturgy in a meaningful way this weekend. 

UBC Fiesta

Next week, 8/26, after church.....we are going to PARTY!!!  UBC will be provide the food, drink, and fun!  We will be catering mexican food from the best place in town, we will have door prizes, and we will have a few surprises you will want to see to believe!  Plan to stay after church next week, lunch is on us.

Cuba Partnership

We will be taking our first trip to Cuba, the week of November 11th.  This trip is open to all ages, and we will have a special opportunity for seminary students.  There will be an interest meeting after church on the 19th, in the Piano Room. If you have any questions, please email toph@ubcwaco.org

Meet Our Newest UBCer

Name: Theophilus Lee

Birthday: July 12, 2018

Birth Weight: 7lb 6oz

Birth Height: 19 inches 

Enneagram Number: 7

ubc[care] survey

For most of this year, we’ve been reckoning with the fact that we’re not great at connecting with one another—that while we might all feel like we belong in this community called ubc, there’s a general sense of disconnection or loneliness among us.  Taylor and Jamie have been working with a group of ubcers to talk through some potential remedies for this.  While we have been working directly with these 8 conversations partners for the sake of having a small enough group for productive conversation, we are very interested in having as many of your voices in the mix as possible as we move forward. We’ve been using a set of questions in an effort to trace the edges of this problem, and we’ve put them in a survey form that you can fill out.  Your feedback, along with the feedback we’ve already received from our conversation partners, will form the foundation of our discussions moving forward, so we’d love if you would take a moment to fill it out.  You can find it at ubcwaco.org/care.  If you have any follow up questions, feel free to email jamie@ubcwaco.org or taylor@ubcwaco.org.

Mug and Coffee Help

UBC champions.  As you know, each week when you come in you are greeted by good looking pastors and should you so choose, a warm cup of joe that is likely poured into a stylish mug.  The hard truth is, that coffee doesn't make itself and those mugs don't clean themselves.  That my friends, is done by some #champions4thelord.  It just so happens that a lot of my mug washers and coffee makers have graduated and gone on to do smaller things.  So I'm looking for some replacements.  If you would consider serving in this ministry, please email josh@ubcwaco.org.  

Parishioner of the Week

Random Pic To Generate Clickbait Traffic

Work is Worship

Greeters:  Richardsons 

Coffee Makers: Nances 

Mug Cleaners:  Carron 

Money Counter:  Kuhl 

Welcome Station: Carlson 

Announcements

• Sermon Text:  
• Sunday School Begins again on September 9th

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

Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu

Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Jeremy Nance: Jeremy Nance <Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com>

Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@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.

JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu 

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas.mcnamee@gmail.com 

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 8-12-2018

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 is the Resurrection
and the Life

to direct our attention toward the Living God

to enter into the story of God
and the people of God

to find our own stories challenged
and our imaginations transformed

that we might come awake to the Spirit of God in our midst

and carry the Kingdom of God in our hearts.

Amen.

Scripture

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 

I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. 

I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already is; and God seeks out what has gone by.

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. 

Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. 

Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. 

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. 

Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. 

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Prayer

This week's prayer was from Gunilla Norris:

Dear Companion of my day,

You are the Holy Mystery I surrender to
when I close my eyes. I give You myself,
the flaws, the mistakes, the petty
self-congratulations. I give You my dear ones
my fondest hopes for them, my worries,
and my dark thoughts regarding them.
Take my well-constructed separation from me,
Hold me in your truth.

This day is already past. I surrender it.
When I think about tomorrow, I surrender it too.
Keep me this night. With You
and in You I can trust not knowing anything.
I can trust incompleteness as a way.
Dark with the darkness, silent with the silence,
help me dare to be that empty one -- futureless,
desireless -- who breathes Your name even in sleep.

Setlist 8-12-2018

Yesterday 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 a brief example of one way you might think of these songs. 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:

Mystery by ubcmusic (adapted from Charlie Hall)

All Creatures of Our God and King by David Crowder* Band

Pulse by Jameson McGregor

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go by ubcmusic (adapted from Ascend the Hill)

Waking Life by Jameson McGregor

Noise 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. 

Mystery: We sang this song to begin our time together proclaiming the death and Resurrection of Jesus, clinging to the sanity and victory of Jesus over the powers and principalities of the world.

All Creatures of Our God and King: We sang this song to join our voices with the whole of creation acknowledging the grandeur of what God has made.

Pulse: We sang this song to petition the Spirit of God to reawaken us to our interconnectivity with all of God's creation.

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go: This song is a plea for God to hold us in the midst of struggle, while also confessing our hope that the love of God has a grip that not even death can break.

Waking Life: This song is about God breaking through the categories that we construct to organize people we perceive to be different from us, replacing our need to fight with a desire to reconcile.

Noise: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  This is what we said about Noise then: This song acknowledges the wide gap between what it is to be God and what it is to be us, and proclaims that in spite of this gap, God has moved toward us.

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

-JM

ITLOTC 8-10-12

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Pentecost

What's It Like To Be You (Adair McGregor) 

After Church Picnic 

This Sunday, after church, we are going to have a picnic.  We are going to picnic inside, so as soon as the service is over, go grab your lunch and bring it back.  UBC will have drinks, games, and a summer classic movie.  This is a great time to get to know our community, and relax before the school year begins.  If you have any questions, please email toph@ubcwaco.org

ubc[care] survey

For most of this year, we’ve been reckoning with the fact that we’re not great at connecting with one another—that while we might all feel like we belong in this community called ubc, there’s a general sense of disconnection or loneliness among us.  Taylor and Jamie have been working with a group of ubcers to talk through some potential remedies for this.  While we have been working directly with these 8 conversations partners for the sake of having a small enough group for productive conversation, we are very interested in having as many of your voices in the mix as possible as we move forward. We’ve been using a set of questions in an effort to trace the edges of this problem, and we’ve put them in a survey form that you can fill out.  Your feedback, along with the feedback we’ve already received from our conversation partners, will form the foundation of our discussions moving forward, so we’d love if you would take a moment to fill it out.  You can find it at ubcwaco.org/care.  If you have any follow up questions, feel free to email jamie@ubcwaco.org or taylor@ubcwaco.org.

Cuba Partnership

We will be taking our first trip to Cuba, the week of November 11th.  This trip is open to all ages, but will have a special opportunity for seminary students.  There will be an interest meeting after church on the 19th, in the Piano Room. If you have any questions, please email toph@ubcwaco.org

Meet Our Newest UBCer

Palmer Quinn Sandvall

Birthday: July 2, 2018
Birth Weight: 8 lbs 10 oz
Birth Height: 21 in

Enneagram Number: 7

Parishioner of the Week

Kelly Tetens and Paul Fillmore for being the parent chaperones on our recent Passport Camper trip. 

Random Pic To Generate Clickbait Traffic

Work is Worship

Greeters:  Ricky and Rose 

Coffee Makers: Nances 

Mug Cleaners:  Carron 

Money Counter:  Kuhl 

Welcome Station: Carlson 

Announcements

• Sermon Text:  Ephesians 4:25-5:2
• 8-19 Kindergarten Commission 
• 8-26 Welcome Back Fiesta Lunch 

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

Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu

Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Jeremy Nance: Jeremy Nance <Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com>

Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@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.

JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu 

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas.mcnamee@gmail.com 

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 8-5-2018

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 God of mercy

the One who is slow to anger
and abounding in steadfast love

to be caught up in God’s story

and to find our own stories changed

to be transformed by the Spirit of God

that we might bear the Kingdom of God
in our ordinary lives

amen.

Scripture

Psalm 51:1-13

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.

Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
    and blameless when you pass judgment.

Indeed, I was born guilty,
    a sinner when my mother conceived me.
You desire truth in the inward being;
    therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
    and do not take your holy spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.

Mark 6:1-13

He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. 

They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 

Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 

He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 

So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Setlist 8-5-2018

Yesterday 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 a brief example of one way you might think of these songs. 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:

Noise by Jameson McGregor

Wayward Ones by The Gladsome Light

Fall Afresh by Jeremy Riddle

Just the Same by Jameson McGregor

There 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. 

Noise: This song acknowledges the wide gap between what it is to be God and what it is to be us, and proclaims that in spite of this gap, God has moved toward us.

Wayward Ones:  This is our communion hymn, and it contemplates Christ's self-giving love that is displayed and remembered in the eucharist.

Fall Afresh: This song offered us language to seek a rekindling of the Spirit in our lives, reorienting our attention toward God and the Kingdom of God in the world.

Just the Same: This song is about the versions of faith that we evolve through over time, how, for better or worse they never really leave us, and it grasps for some sort of security in the midst of this.

There:  This song looks to God as an Anchor within the chaos of life.

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 8-3-18

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Pentecost

a goodbye (by jamie)

At ubc we are well-versed in goodbyes.  That sort of comes with the territory when so many of our community are only in Waco to earn a degree or two.  That usually provides, at most, a 4-6 year window to know and love someone before we send them off into the world.  Those goodbyes are hard enough, but there are rare occasions where a piece of our community is pulled away after we’ve had much more time to get used to having them around.

Jacob Robinson has been at ubc for 10 years.  He has gifted us with a number of bizarre videos, a couple of years as an employee in the sound booth, and more years than that as a musician.    His creative voice has shaped many of the things we’ve done, but the greatest gift he has given us has been himself.

One of the first things I noticed about Jacob when we became friends in 2011 was that he carried around a small notebook and would jot stuff down in it.  It took me a while to figure out that he was often recording jokes or phrases that he heard from people around him.  On the one hand, this could be read as creative person doing typical creative person things.  But it mostly read as the practice of a person who was taking the time to notice life happening around him, grabbing it before it passed him by.  

A few years later, Jacob and I were on a plane to go play at a church camp in Seattle, and he asked me to read a play he had written—I didn’t know that he wrote plays.  I read it straight through, as Jake offered commentary and clarification, and when I finished, I turned to him and said, “Jacob. How did you do this? This world, these people, came from your brain.”  The story wove together awkward humor, mental illness, and the effects of trauma, into a narrative that was both heavy and bright. I would later discover that this was essentially Jake’s wheelhouse, which probably explains the fact that, if memory serves, he just laughed when I asked him how he wrote it.  What explanation is there? Writers write.

I’ve been thinking about these two stories a lot as we draw near to Jacob’s departure.  I don’t necessarily know why it’s been these two; I could probably produce a long document of similar stories from my time with Jacob.  But I do know that they remind me that Jake is a person who knows, almost naturally, what it is to embrace beauty.

Beauty is an event, or a way of seeing, or a realm of experience—I don’t really know.  It’s in the offhanded remarks of friends and the half-heard remarks of strangers. It’s in the heights of joy, and that cutting edge where cosmos begins to re-emerge from chaos.  It’s making something of the pieces that are left when the thing you love is shattered.  It is resurrection, and it is everywhere.

It is best embraced when seen, best seen when noticed, and best noticed when looking, even when looking is difficult.

And to embrace beauty is in some way to be embraced by it.  To be caught up in something beyond the somethings, finding depth where monotony had been, a road to healing where wounds had been, and perhaps, in one way or another, to pass it along.

So as we prepare to send Jake off into the next chapter of his life at Columbia University, into the arms of the winners of Tony Awards and Pulitzer Prizes, we do so with gratitude for the time we’ve shared and the pieces of himself he is leaving with us.  

Stay gold, my friend. 

Meet Our Newest UBCer

Name:  Julie Kohr Gould

DOB: June 28, 2018

Birth weight:  6'10

height:  19 inches

Enneagram Number: 6

Parishioner of the Week

Towns and August Letendresse for working the candy station at the last UBC/SWCC movie day. 

Random Pic To Generate Clickbait Traffic

Work is Worship

Greeters: Walters 

Coffee Makers: Burns 

Mug Cleaners: Trans 

Money Counter:  McNamee

Welcome Station: Wilhite 

Announcements

• Sermon Text:  
• 8-12 After Church Picnic 
• 8-19 Kindergarten Commission 
• 8-26 Welcome Back Fiesta Lunch 

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

Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu

Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Jeremy Nance: Jeremy Nance <Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com>

Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@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.

JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu 

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas.mcnamee@gmail.com 

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

ITLOTC 7-27-18

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Pentecost

What's It Like To Be You

I'm starting a new segment in the newsletter called, "what it's like to be you," in which I interview random UBCers.  our first episode includes the champion Jack Parker, world class guitar shredder.  

Here I asked Jack a question that was recorded on my computer, but not on my laptop from which i'm now editing.  The question was something like, "what image or story from scripture is currently most helpful for you in your journey toward God?" 

Meet Our Newest UBCer

Brynlee Ruth Blaylock

Birthday: June 15, 2K18

Weight: 7 lbs 1 oz

Height: 20 inches

Enneagram Number: 1

Parishioner of the Week

Joanna Sowards for agreeing to preach in my absence this week.  

Random Image To Generate Clickbait Traffic

Now that we are finished with our 80's toys series, we begin our new series on 90's bands. 

Work is Worship

Greeters: Blaylocks 

Coffee Makers: Hoymeyer 

Mug Cleaners: Micah Titterington 

Money Counter:  Tilson 

Welcome Station: Broadduses 

Announcements

• Sermon Text: John 6:1-21 (Please be in prayer for our special guest preacher Joanna Sowards).  
• 8-12 After Church Picnic 
• 8-19 Kindergarten Commission 
• 8-26 Welcome Back Fiesta Lunch 

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

Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu

Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Jeremy Nance: Jeremy Nance <Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com>

Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@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.

JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu 

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas.mcnamee@gmail.com 

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 7-22-2018

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 God who saves

the one who is making all things new

to enter into the story of God and the people of God

that our own stories might be changed

and to seek the Spirit of God

hoping to formed more fully in the way of Christ,
that we might bear his self-giving love
in our ordinary lives

Amen

Scripture

Jeremiah 23:1-6

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them.

So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Prayer

This week's prayer was from the Iona Community Worship Book:

O God of life, of all life and of each life,
We lay our lives before you.
We give our lives to you, from whom nothing in us is hidden.
You are before us, God, you are behind;
You are around us, God, you are within.
O God of life, you know the secret thoughts of every heart.
We bring the faith that is in us, and the doubt;
We bring the joy that is in us, and the sorrow.
O God of life, you are in the light, and in the darkness.
We bring the knowledge that is in us, and the ignorance;
We bring the hope that is in us, and the despair.
O God of life, O generous Spirit,
Renew us with your life,
Today, tomorrow, and always.
Amen.

Setlist 7-22-2018

Yesterday was the ninth 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 a brief example of one way you might think of these songs. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment at the bottom of this page or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

Just A Closer Walk With Thee

Crown Him With Many Crowns

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go by ubcmusic (adapted from Ascend the Hill)

Wearing Thin by Jameson McGregor

All Creatures of Our God and King by David Crowder* Band

Doxology

How They Fit In:

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

Just A Closer Walk With Thee: This song invites us into a key pursuit of ordinary time: turning our attention toward being the presence of Christ in our time and place.

Crown Him With Many Crowns: This song offered us language to speak of Christ as Lord of all, and thus to orient our thoughts about power toward Jesus.

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go: This song offered us words to proclaim that our grasping after God occurs within the context of God's embrace of us.

Wearing Thin: This song is a petition for God to form us into people of zeal for justice and ignite hope in the face of hopelessness.

All Creatures of Our God and King: This song invites us to join our voices with all of creation in acknowledging God as the Creator and Sustainer of all that is.  In doing so, we are invited to consider all of creation as our family.

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

-JM