ITLOTC 10-11-2022

An Announcement from Leadership Team

Dear UBCers,

Over the last several weeks, you've likely noticed additions to the weekly newsletter and the slides on Sunday mornings detailing UBCs current finances. And if you attended the last town hall meeting, you know in greater detail that UBC is at a critical point financially. 

As a Leadership Team, we are committed to transparency with you about the state of our finances and what is at stake for us as a community. We want to avoid any surprises about significant changes at UBC due to financial need and we want the congregation to be able to make informed decisions regarding your contributions.

Recently the Finance Team let us know that we are currently averaging $15,000 less per month than our operating expenses. Additionally adding strain, as discussed in recent town halls, are several major, unavoidable upcoming expenses, including mandatory parking lot and air conditioning repairs.  

At this point with no significant changes in giving or spending, we will have completely depleted our savings and be unable to meet monthly expenditures by August 2023. This all means we are in danger of significant changes to the current fabric of UBC - including the possibility of losing or reducing staff positions. UBC has been at a similar crossroads before, and the congregation was unaware until those changes happened. We do not want anyone to be in the dark about what is currently at risk for UBC. The Leadership Team, Finance Team, HR Team, and staff believe wholeheartedly that Waco needs UBC - as a church, for the theological space we hold and for the community that is currently here, and for those who will find themselves here in the coming weeks, months, and years. 

For this reason, we are launching an intentional and swift fundraising effort through the end of December; at which point we will re-evaluate the type and degree of changes that must be made. We understand not everyone will be able to give any more than they already have, but we also know some of us might be able to make changes that can have a direct impact on the future of the UBC community. Maybe you are in a place to increase your monthly giving, perhaps you are ready to set up monthly giving via Church Center for the first time. Or maybe you’re looking to make a year-end gift somewhere. Whatever the case may be, the time to give is now. 

You can give in the baskets passed each week during the service. You can set up monthly giving here or using the QR code available during each service.

We also want to invite you to be a part of our Fundraising Team. If you have experience in fundraising, grant writing, or are compelled to serve UBC in this unique season, please reach out to our Leadership Team Chair, Katie Valenzuela (katarinaevalenzuela@gmail.com).

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Leadership Team. You can find our emails at the bottom of this newsletter and in the slide rotation on Sunday mornings.

We Want to Send You Snail Mail 🐌

Following on the above update from Leadership Team, we’re asking everyone to please share their current address so we can send you things like your annual giving statement, information about our fundraising efforts, and other important information from UBC. You can update your address at this link: https://ubcwaco.churchcenter.com/people/forms/450248

Share Your Feedback 📣

You’re invited to share your feedback (good, bad, or in-between) about the goings-on at UBC! All comments will be shared directly with the UBC Human Resources team who will then share it with Leadership Team, Finance Team, or Pastoral Staff as needed. Share your feedback here: https://forms.gle/1ovkBXSx1Lu3CR448

If you are in your mid 20’s-mid 30’s, we would love for you to join us for a retreat. We will leave on Friday afternoon from UBC and return in time for church on Sunday morning. We are headed to a lake house on Cedar Creek Lake, and the cost is $40 for all meals and lodging. Email toph@ubcwaco.org to sign-up, or if you have questions.

Please join us this month on the Lands’ for another potluck. This is a great time to meet other folks at UBC, and show our unequivocal support for the LGBTQIA+ community. Email toph@ubcwaco.org with any questions or to sign up.

If you are new to UBC within the last 6 months, and would like to learn more about our community and ways you can get involved, please consider staying after church this Sunday, October 16th. We will provide lunch and drinks, and will be done by 1:30pm at the latest. Email toph@ubcwaco.org to sign up.

Giving

If UBC is a place you care about and benefit from, we hope you’ll consider financially supporting this work as you are able. You can give online here.

Youth Dinner

If you’d like to get involved with the Youth Group but can’t volunteer on Wednesday nights you can sign-up to provide youth dinner (cooked, bought, or otherwise!) instead. Sign up for that here and Kieran will reach out to you at the beginning of the week you sign up for to arrange details.

Children’s Ministry

Want to serve with UBC Kids but can’t but can’t say yes to a once/month commitment? We’d love to add you to our list of dedicated subs who can step in from time to time. Email brooke@ubcwaco.org to sign up.

We are starting a monthly small group, a family sensory worship space. Come as you are! The group will have a loose structure in short durations: a time of meditation, a time of yoga, a very short time of listening to biblical or testimony stories, a time for creative play, a time of music/dance, a time for sharing/visiting. Visual and/or sound needs will be considered. Movement is encouraged as needed.

It will be based on the Quaker Montessori curriculum Sparkling Still, in which short inspirational and interactive stories are provided on simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship, mindfulness, empathy, discernment, and other virtues for the whole family.

Please sign up in the lobby to be involved in the planning or first gatherings. You can also email jamie@ubcwaco.org. We hope to launch in early 2023.

If you are in your mid 20’s to mid 30’s, this group is for you. We gather monthly to hang out and get to know each other. This month we will be gathering at Toph’s casa. There will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer, or you can email toph@ubcwaco.org to sign-up or if you have questions.

Please join us for a conversation about our approach to formation for our kids and youth. We’d love to talk through this and hear your hopes and dreams for the future!

On Wednesday October 26th, the 5/6th grade group and youth group will be combined for a Halloween celebration. We are going to eat dinner, have a costume contest, and watch a Halloween-themed movie.

UBC Women’s Costume Party - Friday, October 28th at 7pm

Wear a costume and bring a Spooky Snack or Drink to share!

We are going to meet up at the Cameron Park Zoo at 9am on Saturday the 29th. The zoo is having a Halloween themed scavenger hunt! Bring yourself and your kiddos out to the zoo for a fun day, and get to know some other UBC families. Costumes are encouraged, but not required. Email toph@ubcwaco.org with any questions.

All Saints Liturgy - Tuesday, November 1st at 5:30pm

Fall Fire Chill - Friday, November 4th at 6pm

Belief & Belonging Festival - Saturday, November 5th

Women's Group-Hangout - Friday, November 11th at 7pm

Thanksgiving Lovefeast - Sunday, November 13th at 5:30pm

UBC Families Meetup-Mini Golf - Monday, November 14th, 5-7pm

Post-Thanksgiving Evening Service - Sunday, November 27th at 6pm

Find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!

Parishioner of the Week

The parishioners of the week are all the volunteers who helped with Out on the Brazos on Saturday.

Preaching Schedule

10/16: Kerri
10/23: Craig
10/30: Kieran
11/6:Kirk
11/13: Listening to Our Congregation: LGBTQ Folks
11/20: Christ the King Sunday
11/27: Kirk

Leadership Team

Ben Raley (benjaminraley@gmail.com)
Jose Zuniga (jzgrphix2002@yahoo.com)
Katie Valenzuela (katarinaevalenzuela@gmail.com)
Andy Clark (andyclarkmusic@gmail.com)
Aleigh Ascherl (aleighascherl@gmail.com)

HR Team

Erin Hill (erin.albin1@gmail.com)
Patrick Broaddus (patrickjbroaddus@gmail.com)
Craig Nash (craig_nash@baylor.edu)
Kristen Howerton (khowerton94@gmail.com)
Abbey Mackey (abbeyadizdar@gmail.com)
Jess Smith (jess_smith1@baylor.edu)

Finance Team

Mike Dodson (financeteammike@gmail.com)
Colton Towns (cctowns@gmail.com)
Julie Sievers (juliehsievers@gmail.com)
Evan Kidd (evan.kidd1@outlook.com)

ITLOTC 10-4-2022

in the life of the church | ordinary time

St. Francis (by Jamie)

When we think about saints, we think of people who were particularly adept at embodying being formed in the way of Christ in their particular time and place, and thus look to them as examples as we seek to do the same.

Today we mark the life of St. Francis of Assisi. You have probably noticed that we have several statues of Francis around Ubc, and this is for good reason, as some of the core values Francis embodied are our own.

He is known for having an understanding of the interconnectedness of things.  He referred to animals, plants, planets, emotions, and, of course, all people, as his siblings; knowing that we are wholly connected by the love and attention of God. 

He had deep concern for beauty, famously rebuilding a crumbling chapel in the hills outside his home town.  He was also a poet, prone to break into verse to declare the innate beauty of the world around him. This drive to embrace and embody beauty was born of his awareness of God’s care for the same.

Further, Francis invites us to reorient our relationship to material goods and wealth, shining a light onto the life of simplicity where God’s care and provision burns brightest.  He did this in his own life, and embodied it further in his care for the poor and cast-away of society.

I’ll elaborate on all this more at our St. Francis Liturgy tonight (at 5:30), but if you can’t make it, I hope that you’ll give Francis a google and take a moment to reflect on his life.

But if you don’t have time for that, I leave you with this quote from a Franciscan community about one of the primary lessons of Francis’ life:

Conversion, or rather living in a state of constantly being converted, is what Francis' life was about. Drawn by the love of God, drawn away from worldly ambitions for glory, Francis instead found his treasure in the total surrender of self to God.

For those of us who follow Jesus in the footsteps of St. Francis, the example of conversion to God, of living each day in a deeper state of conversion, to die to self a little more each day that we might live entirely for God, this is the important thing to see in Francis.

This has always struck me as a place where the life of Francis draws near to the heart of Ubc—we who are seeking to be formed more fully in the way of Christ, to love God, embrace beauty, and live life to the fullest.  If nothing else, may this day draw your attention back to that common cause.

And as you do so, receive this benediction:

May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers,
half-truths, and superficial relationships,
so that we will live deeply in our hearts.
May God bless us with anger
at injustice, oppression, and exploitation
of people and the earth,
so that we will work for justice, equity, and peace.
May God bless us with tears to shed
for those who suffer,
so that we will reach out our hands
to comfort them and change their pain to joy.
And may God bless us with the foolishness to think
that we can make a difference in the world,
so that we will do the things which others say
cannot be done.

Amen.

We are starting a monthly small group, a family sensory worship space. Come as you are! The group will have a loose structure in short durations: a time of meditation, a time of yoga, a very short time of listening to biblical or testimony stories, a time for creative play, a time of music/dance, a time for sharing/visiting. Visual and/or sound needs will be considered. Movement is encouraged as needed.

It will be based on the Quaker Montessori curriculum Sparkling Still, in which short inspirational and interactive stories are provided on simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship, mindfulness, empathy, discernment, and other virtues for the whole family.

Please sign up in the lobby to be involved in the planning or first gatherings. You can also email jamie@ubcwaco.org. We hope to launch in early 2023.

October Dinner Parties

Want to get to know other UBC’ers? Do you enjoy dinner? Then this is for you! Each month we have a sign-up sheet in the foyer for dinner parties. You can sign-up to host, attend, or go out to eat. I (Toph) will connect 2-3 households each month, and you commit to having dinner with those folks. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Join us at 5:30PM on Tuesday, October 4th, as we celebrate the life of St. Francis of Assisi.  We'll be using the story of his life as a lens to worship God, and also as a tool of our own formation.  If you'd like to submit a photo of a beloved animal in your life, email jamie@ubcwaco.org

Youth - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

5th & 6th Graders - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

Pints w/ Toph - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

We are having our first table at Out on the Brazos this year, and we need a few folks to come out and share about UBC. The festival is from 11am-6pm, and we are looking for people to come out and help us with our booth. If you would like to volunteer, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Youth Games Afternoon - Saturday, October 8th at 1pm

Children’s Ministry

Want to serve with UBC Kids but can’t but can’t say yes to a once/month commitment? We’d love to add you to our list of dedicated subs who can step in from time to time. Email brooke@ubcwaco.org to sign up.

Youth Ministry

If you’d like to get involved with the Youth Group but can’t volunteer on Wednesday nights you can sign-up to provide youth dinner (cooked, bought, or otherwise!) instead. Sign up for that here and Kieran will reach out to you at the beginning of the week you sign up for to arrange details.

Giving

If UBC is a place you care about and benefit from, we hope you’ll consider financially supporting this work as you are able. You can give online here.

If you are in your mid 20’s-mid 30’s, we would love for you to join us for the retreat in a few weeks. We will leave on Friday afternoon from UBC, and return in time for church on Sunday morning. We are headed to a lake house on Cedar Creek Lake, and the cost is $40 for all meals and lodging. Email toph@ubcwaco.org to sign-up, or if you have questions.

LGBTQIA+ Meetup - Friday, October 14 at 6pm

Please join us this month on the Land’s for another potluck. This is a great time to meet other folks at UBC, and show our unequivocal support for the LGBTQIA+ community. There will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer. Email toph@ubcwaco.org with any questions.

If you are new to UBC within the last 6 months, and would like to learn more about our community and ways you can get involved, please consider staying after church on October 16th. We will provide lunch and drinks, and will be done by 1:30pm at the latest. You can sign-up on Sunday morning, or email toph@ubcwaco.org

UBCYP Hangout - Thursday, October 20th at 7pm

If you are in your mid 20’s to mid 30’s, this group is for you. We gather monthly to hang out and get to know each other. This month we will be gathering at Toph’s casa. There will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer, or you can email toph@ubcwaco.org to sign-up or if you have questions.

Children & Youth Formation Conversation - Sunday, October 23rd after church

Please join us for a conversation about our approach to formation for our kids and youth. We’d love to talk through this and hear your hopes and dreams for the future!

Women’s Group-Costume Party - Friday, October 28th at 7pm

UBC Families Meetup-Waco Zoo - Saturday, October 29th at 9am

We are going to meet up at the Cameron Park Zoo at 9am on Saturday the 29th. The zoo is having a Halloween themed scavenger hunt! Bring yourself and your kiddos out to the zoo for a fun day, and get to know some other UBC families. Costumes are encouraged, but not required. Email toph@ubcwaco.org with any questions.

All Saints Liturgy - Tuesday, November 1st at 5:30pm

Fall Fire Chill - Friday, November 4th at 6pm

Belief & Belonging Festival - Saturday, November 5th

Women's Group-Hangout - Friday, November 11th at 7pm

Thanksgiving Lovefeast - Sunday, November 13th at 5:30pm

UBC Families Meetup-Mini Golf - Monday, November 14th, 5-7pm

Post-Thanksgiving Evening Service - Sunday, November 27th at 6pm

Find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!

Van Davis is hosting a 6-week fitness program at UBC and would like to offer UBCers all 12 sessions for $25, instead of $60. Use the QR code above to register.

Parishioner of the Week

Our parishioners of the week are Kyle & Kristen Howerton for hosting an awesome UBC tailgate.

Preaching Schedule

10/9: Patrick

10/16: Kerri

10/23: Craig

10/30: Kieran

11/6:Kirk

11/13: Listening to Our Congregation: LGBTQ Folks

11/20: Christ the King Sunday

11/27: Kirk

UBC Kids October 2022

Hi friends,

Welcome to the very first UBC Kids email. My hope is to send you a care package on the first Monday of each month that you can refer to throughout the month. Each one will include news and information for children and families at UBC, a resource I've found to be helpful, and an occasional idea or two for family faith formation at home.

I want to take a second to say how much I love your kids and what a privilege it is to catch glimpses of their growth and formation on Sunday mornings. Jillian and I take turns walking the halls each week in case we're needed for anything. As we walk, we pray. I’ll confess, I indulge in some eavesdropping, too.

Last week, I listened to our 2- and 3-year-olds baaaa boisterously as they learned about God's love through the story of the lost sheep. I overheard our 1st and 2nd graders cheer each other on as they found lost coins just like Jesus searches for—and finds—us. The sounds of giggles and good questions and kind instruction filled the air. I found myself grinning and thinking this, right here, is a parable.

The kingdom of God is joyful and contagious and a little bit wild, like a child's belly laugh. It can't be contained, but instead spreads to all who hear it. The kingdom of God is playful and fun and sometimes silly like a game. It beckons us to bring our holy curiosity to its pursuit. The kingdom of God is like arms open wide in welcome. We can trust all our fears and questions, our needs and hopes to its endless embrace.

As our children come to know God, they’re learning that God is good and that God can be trusted. My hope, as always, is that they will choose to trust and follow God in their own lives. (That’s my hope for you and for me, as well.)

Grace and peace,
Brooke

For the Month of October

On Sunday mornings from 10:45-noon, our 2-year-olds through 4th graders are busy learning who God is and what God is like through the stories of scripture. Our lectionary-based curriculum is fun, interactive, and tailored to each age group. Here's what they'll spend the next few weeks learning about.

On Wednesday evenings from 6:00-8:00, our 5th and 6th graders are exploring the overall story arc of scripture and how it connects to the foundations of our faith. They’re walking through the Old Testament with an eye toward understanding the history of God’s people and adding context for who Jesus is and why Jesus is so important. In October they'll be busy exploring...

Click the titles of any of the weeks above for the corresponding Family Pages so you can continue these conversations with your kids at home. (You can also find printed versions of the Family Pages on the UBC Kids bulletin board at church.)

For Your Family Formation

I’m so grateful for Meredith Anne Miller and the way she has shaped by approach to children and faith formation. Meredith is a pastor and parent with over 20 years of experience helping families follow Jesus. She spent five years as Curriculum Director for the children’s ministry at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, Illinois, where she created a framework for lessons that responds to the latest research on kids and faith formation. She's also worked with Fuller Youth Institute since 2007.

I love Meredith's vision for helping parents re-examine the notion of using the Bible to raise “good kids” and instead move toward becoming a Jesus-centered, justice-seeking, joy-filled family. She is a delightful human being and one of my favorite follows on Instagram! (I've especially appreciated her highlights on obedience, anti-racism, deconstruction, and affirmation).

Oh, and she also makes a podcast for kids and their grownups called Ask Away. In each 10-minute episode, she and her kids tell a Bible story and then talk about questions kids listeners send to the show.

For Your Calendar

UBC Families Meetup-Waco Zoo - October 29th at 9am

Fall Fire Chill - Friday, November 4th at 6pm

Thanksgiving Lovefeast - Sunday, November 13th at 5:30pm

UBC Families Meetup-Mini Golf - Monday, November 14th, 5-7pm

Post-Thanksgiving Evening Service - Sunday, November 27th at 6pm

UBC Family Retreat - Friday, March 3-Monday, March 6

ITLOTC 9-27-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

Well, hello and happy Tuesday team!

For those of you who may not have met me before, my name is Kieran and I’m the Youth Pastor here at UBC. I wanted to take just a short amount of time to talk about Youth formation here at UBC; the ways in which we’ve fostered it over the years, and how we’re approaching it this semester to keep learning new and exciting for all the kids in the youth group.

Traditionally, back when the youth group first started, we began by taking one book of the bible per semester - typically an Old Testament book in the spring, and a New Testament book in the autumn. This worked really well, and allowed us to dive in deep each week to a specific part of whatever text we were studying - say, for example, the Gospel of Luke.

Now, taking a slow approach like this did bring its problems. For all our good intentions and theological training, at the end of the day, the youth group is still comprised of teenagers - brilliant, thoughtful, intelligent teenagers, but they’re always going to get bored easily when they feel like they’re doing school on a Wednesday night after having done school all week already. It’s tricky to keep engagement up, and therefore tricky to actually keep comprehension and engagement up. This was especially true during the first year or so of the pandemic - they would sit on Zoom all day doing school, and the idea of doing the same thing for youth group was, understandably, galling.

So, I endeavored to change things up a bit. Last year we tried a process of teaching thematically - we would go through a series of topics, let’s say Prayer, Reading the Bible, Love, and so on, and each evening I’d pull from a range of Biblical sources to provide context for those themes throughout the Bible. This, alongside changing up how discussion groups were organised (we went from a purely-based-on-age model to more of an “interest-level” model - those more interested in how the topic applied to daily life would form one group, whilst those seeking to dive deeper into the theology and philosophy of the topic would form another group, for example), led to a much better level of engagement.

It also had another factor - we have seen dramatic change and growth in our kids as they’ve been able to engage in the material in the way they find most edifying. This is natural as they grow up, and it’s a huge part of it, but I got lots of feedback that taking a sense of ownership in some small way helped them feel more involved, and they were more likely to engage in discussions, ask questions, and overall really come out of their shells.

That leads us to this semester - building on top of the foundations we set last year and the feedback that ownership was a really motivating factor, we’ve moved into that space even more. In the youth room there is a Halloween Yoda’s head with pens and paper in it, and each week at various youth group events, I remind and encourage the kids to write down any questions they have - about Christianity, the Bible, theology, what it means to live as a Christian, etc. Then, at the end of our weekly youth group sessions, I have someone come up and pick a topic randomly from the hat (Yoda’s head) - and that’s the topic of next week’s session!

So far I think this approach has been working wonderfully. Each week prompts new questions, and the kids feel like they’re actually getting to learn about the things they actually have questions about, rather than just me making informed, but ultimately arbitrary, decision about what I think they might have questions about.

UBC youth group is first and foremost a place of formation and discovery. We build on the phenomenal curriculum in our kids’ ministry, a curriculum used nationwide with robust and easy-to-learn lessons, and take time to strengthen those foundational tenets of Christianity whilst also exploring more advanced topics.

This age is such a pivotal one, as we all remember in our own lives. The kids are figuring out for the first time, what it means to have a faith or belief in something that is their own, and comes from them, rather than simply being inherited from their parents. It’s a time of growth, and sometimes stretching pains, but it is deeply humbling and rewarding to create a safe space for them to ask those questions and make those discoveries.

With all my warmest,
Kieran

P.S. Want to get our weekly Youth Email? Sign up by checking the box next to Youth at this link (or email kieran@ubcwaco.org).

UBC Pastoral Search Survey

This is the last week to share your feedback by completing the Pastoral Search Survey or scheduling an in-person listening session (link here). This survey will close after Sunday, October 2nd. If you have questions, please email pastoralsearch@ubcwaco.org.

Leadership & Finance Team Nominations

We continue to seek Leadership Team and Finance Team nominations. These positions are incredibly important for our community and an important way to serve! Thanks for considering carefully if you are interested or if you know someone who might do a good job.

If you have questions about serving on either the Leadership or Finance Team and want to learn about what is involved, please feel free to read our bylaws or email LeadershipTeam@UBCWaco.org. Nominations can be sent to our email address or to any of our staff members. 

This Week at UBC

Youth - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

5th/6th Graders - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

Pints w/ Toph - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

Women’s Group: The Light in the Piazza - Thursday, 7:30pm at 
Waco Civic Theatre

Backside - Friday, 7 pm at UBC

UBC Tailgate at Baylor - Saturday, 11am at Baylor: Join us in revelry and anticipation at the Ubc Tailgate. There will be free beer and hotdogs, as well as free memories and laughs. It's going to be a real touchdown of a time. Stay tuned for specific time and location. Contact jamie@ubcwaco.org with questions.

Youth Coffee w/ Kieran - Saturday, 1pm at Pinewood Coffee

Youth Sunday - Sunday, October 2nd

First Sunday Meal (Foster Care Focus) - Sunday, October 2nd: We will be hosting two different ministries/non-profits who work in foster care, Arrow Child and Family Ministries, and CASA, to share about their work and ways you might support children in foster care. Each have a brief opportunity to share at the end of the service and we will be having a luncheon after church to hear more about their work. Sign-up here or contact toph@ubcwaco.org with any questions.

Needs of the Church

Children’s Ministry: We looking for one last very special person to volunteer in our Bloom (2/3-year olds) classroom once a month.

We’re also looking for dedicated subs who can step in when scheduled volunteers are ill or have scheduling conflicts. This is a great option if you want to serve with our kids but can’t say yes to a once/month commitment!

If you’re willing to serve or would like to learn more, please email brooke@ubcwaco.org.

Youth Ministry: If you’d like to get involved with the Youth Group but can’t volunteer on Wednesday nights you can sign-up to provide youth dinner (cooked, bought, or otherwise!) instead. Sign up for that here and Kieran will reach out to you at the beginning of the week you sign up for to arrange details.

Giving: Click here to give online.

Upcoming Events

St. Francis Day Liturgy - Tuesday, October 4th at 5:30pm: Join us at 5:30PM on Tuesday, October 4th, as we celebrate the life of St. Francis of Assisi.  We'll be using the story of his life as a lens to worship God, and also as a tool of our own formation.  If you'd like to submit a photo of a beloved animal in your life, email jamie@ubcwaco.org

Out on the Brazos- Saturday, October 8th, 11am-6pm: We are having our first table at Out on the Brazos this year, and we need a few folks to come out and share about UBC. The festival is from 11am-6pm, and we are looking for people to come out and help us with our booth. If you would like to volunteer, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Youth Games Afternoon - Saturday, October 8th at 1pm

Nübcers Lunch - Sunday, October 9th after church: If you are new to UBC within the last 6 months, and would like to learn more about our community and ways you can get involved, please consider staying after church on October 16th. We will provide lunch and drinks, and will be done by 1:30pm at the latest. You can sign-up on Sunday morning, or email toph@ubcwaco.org

Young Adult Retreat - Friday, October 14th-Sunday, October 16th: If you are in your mid 20’s-mid 30’s, we would love for you to join us for the retreat in a few weeks. We will leave on Friday afternoon from UBC, and return in time for church on Sunday morning. We are headed to a lake house on Cedar Creek Lake, and the cost is $40 for all meals and lodging. Email toph@ubcwaco.org to sign-up, or if you have questions.

Women’s Group-Costume Party - October 28th at 7pm

UBC Families Meetup-Waco Zoo - October 29th at 9am

Neighborhood Parties - Friday, November 4th at 6pm

Women's Group-Hangout - Friday, November 11th at 7pm

Thanksgiving Lovefeast - Sunday, November 13th at 5:30pm

UBC Families Meetup-Mini Golf - Monday, November 14th, 5-7pm

Post-Thanksgiving Evening Service - Sunday, November 27th at 6pm

Find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!

Parishioner of the Week

Our parishioner of the week is Sarah Miller for hosting last week’s LGBTQIA+ meetup.

Preaching Schedule

10/2: Youth Sunday

10/9: Patrick

10/16: Kerri

10/23: Craig

10/30: Kieran

ITLOTC 9-20-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

Dear UBC Family,

I find myself wanting to begin with a disclaimer. I’m not an ordained minister, children’s or otherwise. I don’t have a seminary degree. I don’t have any formal training. And yet…

I did spend the last several years walking alongside, listening to, and learning with and from ministers of all types, demographics, and denominational backgrounds like it was my job (because it was literally my job). I am a former kid who spent a lot of time in Sunday School and Bible studies and D-Now weekends and praying around various flagpoles. And I’m a parent, doing my best to guide and teach and encourage my child as she is formed in the way of Christ.

Perhaps most importantly, I’m a human being—created in the image of God—and a Christ-follower—formed and being formed to be more like Jesus, and called to share that love with the help of the Holy Spirit. As are you, my friend.

All this to say, it has been really cool to dive into the deep end of children’s ministry at UBC over the past several weeks. Our kids are awesome! They’re fun and goofy and unique and a little bit nuts. They’re aware of the world and their place in it in ways I’m still trying to grasp. They have big imaginations and ask amazing questions. They are so honest and their hearts are so tender. If you’re not in our classrooms on Sunday mornings you may not get to experience all of this, so I thought I’d share a bit with you here.

On Sunday mornings, our 2-year olds through 4th graders are learning who God is and what God is like through the stories of scripture. Our lectionary-based curriculum is fun, interactive, and tailored to each age group. This semester our kids are in Luke’s gospel learning about The Lost Sheep and Lost Coin (this Sunday), Two Masters (10/2), The Parable of the Rich Man (10/9), A Seed of Faith (10/16), Ten Men Healed (10/23), The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (11/6), and Zacchaeus (11/13), plus a brief detour into Genesis for Jacob Wrestles (10/30).

On Wednesday evenings, our 5th and 6th graders are exploring the overall story arc of scripture and connecting it to the foundations of Christian faith. This year they’re walking through the Old Testament with an eye toward understanding the history of God’s people and adding context for who Jesus is and why Jesus is so important. Next year, they'll continue with the New Testament, learning all about Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection.

Our hope is that as our children come to know God, they learn that God is good and God can be trusted and they choose to trust and follow God in their own lives. That’s my hope for you and for me, as well.

Grace and peace,
Brooke

P.S. We’re trying out a special, monthly-ish UBC Kids & Families email with more details about what and how our kids are learning, as well as some resources for faith formation at home. If that’s something you want, please hit this link and check the box next to Children & Families (or email brooke@ubcwaco.org).

UBC Pastoral Search Survey

Please take some time to share your feedback by completing the Pastoral Search Survey or scheduling an in-person listening session, which you can do here. If you have questions, please email pastoralsearch@ubcwaco.org.

Leadership & Finance Team Nominations

We continue to seek Leadership Team and Finance Team nominations. These positions are incredibly important for our community and an important way to serve! Thanks for considering carefully if you are interested or if you know someone who might do a good job.

If you have questions about serving on either the Leadership or Finance Team and want to learn about what all is involved, please feel free to read our bylaws or email LeadershipTeam@UBCWaco.org. Nominations can be sent to our email address or to any of our staff members. 

This Week at UBC

Youth - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

5th/6th Graders - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

Pints w/ Toph - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

Lgbtqia+ Meetup - Friday, 6:00 pm at Sarah Miller’s house: This will be a potluck, so please bring a dish to share and let us know how many people to expect by signing up here. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org.

Youth PowerPoint Party - Friday, 6:00 pm at UBC

Youth Games Afternoon - Saturday, 1:00 pm at UBC

Needs of the Church

Children’s Ministry: We still need 5 more volunteers to serve once a month in our Bloom (2/3-year olds) and Branch (Pre-K/K) classrooms.

We’re also looking for dedicated subs who can step in when scheduled volunteers are ill or have scheduling conflicts. This is a great option if you want to serve with our kids but can’t say yes to a once/month commitment!

If you’re willing to serve or would like to learn more, please email brooke@ubcwaco.org.

Youth Ministry: We’re still looking for a few great volunteers to help with our Youth! For more information you click this link and/or email kieran@ubcwaco.org.

If you’d like to get involved with the Youth Group but can’t volunteer on Wednesday nights you can sign-up to provide youth dinner (cooked, bought, or otherwise!) instead. Sign up for that here and Kieran will reach out to you at the beginning of the week you sign up for to arrange details.

Giving: Click here to give online.

Get Involved

All of our groups and volunteer opportunities for the fall started up last week. If you haven’t yet, we would love to for you take a look at this form and find some ways to plug into the life of the church here at UBC. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org.

Next Week at UBC

Backside - Friday, September 30th at 7 pm

UBC Tailgate at Baylor - Saturday, October 1st: Join us in revelry and anticipation at the Ubc Tailgate. There will be free beer and hotdogs, as well as free memories and laughs. It's going to be a real touchdown of a time. Stay tuned for specific time and location. Contact jamie@ubcwaco.org with questions.

Youth Sunday - Sunday, October 2nd

First Sunday Meal (Foster Care Focus) - Sunday, October 2nd: We will be hosting two different ministries/non-profits who work in foster care, Arrow Child and Family Ministries, and CASA, to share about their work and ways you might support children in foster care. Each have a brief opportunity to share at the end of the service and we will be having a luncheon after church to hear more about their work. Sign-up here or contact toph@ubcwaco.org with any questions.

Upcoming Events

Top(h) Golf - Tuesday, September 27th at 6pm

Women’s Group: The Light in the Piazza - Thursday, September 29th at 7:30pm

St. Francis Day Liturgy - Tuesday, October 4th at 5:30pm

Nübcers Lunch - Sunday, October 9th after church

Young Adult Retreat - Friday, October 14th-Sunday, October 16th

UBC Families Meetup-Waco Zoo - October 29th - 9am

Neighborhood Parties - Friday, November 4th at 6pm

Women's Group-Hangout - Friday, November 11th at 7pm

Thanksgiving Lovefeast - Sunday November 13th at 5:30pm

UBC Families Meetup-Mini Golf - November 14th, 5-7pm

Post-Thanksgiving Evening Service - Sunday, November 27th at 6pm

Find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!

Parishioner of the Week

Our parishioner of the week is Nathanael Mosher for leading worship on Sunday.

Preaching Schedule

9/25: Kieran

10/2: Youth Sunday

10/9: Patrick

10/16: Kerri

10/23: Craig

10/30: Kieran

ITLOTC 9-13-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

Hi friend,

I so appreciated Kirk’s message on Sunday, perhaps because it hit so many of my own personal sweet spots. I have also been shaped by the words and imaginations of Brennan Manning, Anne Lammot, and Neil Gaiman (have you read The Ocean at the End of the Lane?). I am also taken with the power of story to transform our lives and to move us toward wholeness.

Each week as part of our call to worship, we stand as a congregation and proclaim that one of the reasons we gather together is “to enter the story of God and find our own stories reimagined.” Both this fact and the reminder of it are a gift.

Our stories point toward and contextualize the voice and work of the Divine in our lives. Our stories invite us more deeply into relationship with God and with each other. Our stories allow us to know and to be known.

All week I’ve had one more quote by another favorite writer, Frederick Buechner, ringing in my head. He writes…

“[I]f I were called upon to state in a few words the essence of everything I was trying to say both as a novelist and as a preacher, it would be something like this: Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.

I’m grateful to be listening to my life with and in this congregation. I’m grateful to be sharing these holy moments with you.

Grace and peace,

Brooke

UBC Pastoral Search Survey

Please take a some time to share your feedback by completing the Pastoral Search Survey or scheduling an in-person listening session, which you can do here. If you have questions, please email pastoralsearch@ubcwaco.org.

Leadership & Finance Team Nominations

We continue to seek Leadership Team and Finance Team nominations. These positions are incredibly important for our community and an important way to serve! Thanks for considering carefully if you are interested or if you know someone who might do a good job.

If you have questions about serving on either the Leadership or Finance Team and want to learn about what all is involved, please feel free to read our bylaws or email LeadershipTeam@UBCWaco.org. Nominations can be sent to our email address or to any of our staff members. 

This Week at UBC

Youth - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

5th/6th Graders - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

Coffee With Kieran - Saturday, 1:00 pm at Pinewood Coffee Bar

Children's Volunteer Training - Sunday after church

Needs of the Church

Kids & Youth Volunteers: We’re still looking for a few great volunteers to help with our Kids and Youth Ministries this semester! 

  • Children’s Ministry: If you’re willing to help with children’s classrooms or check-in one Sunday per month, please email brooke@ubcwaco.org.

  • For more information on Youth Group volunteer needs you can click this link and/or email kieran@ubcwaco.org.

Youth Group Meals: Want to help the Youth Group out, but can’t volunteer on Wednesday nights? Great news! Each week, the Youth Group shares a meal together to start the evening off. We include dinner as a model of Jesus' ministry - the gospel of Christ is intrinsically linked to the sharing of food, and so it's incredibly exciting we're able to actually prioritise this practise again!

We average 15 or so people each evening - if you’d like to sign-up to provide dinner (cooked, bought, or otherwise!), you can find the sign up for that here! Kieran will reach out to you at the beginning of the week to arrange the details with you for the Wednesday you sign up for.

Giving: Our August giving report is below and reflects the current financial need of the church. Click here to give online.

Get Involved

All of our groups and volunteer opportunities for the fall started up last week. If you haven’t yet, we would love to for you take a look at this form and find some ways to plug into the life of the church here at UBC. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org.

LGBTQIA+ and Allies Meetup - Friday, September 23rd

We are having our monthly gathering at Sarah Miller’s house on Friday, September 23rd, at 6pm. This is going to be a potluck, so please bring a dish to share. Also, so we know how many people to expect, please sign-up here: https://forms.gle/JPLmmM9wMX9mLszY7.

If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org.

UBC Tailgate - Saturday, October 1st

Join us in revelry and anticipation at the Ubc Tailgate. There will be free beer and hotdogs, as well as free memories and laughs. It's going to be a real touchdown of a time. Stay tuned for specific time and location. Contact jamie@ubcwaco.org with questions.

UBC Foster Care Focus - Sunday, October 2nd

On October 2, we are inviting two different ministries/non-profits who work in foster care to share about their work and ways you might support children in foster care. We will be hosting Arrow Child and Family Ministries, and CASA. They will each have a brief opportunity to share at the end of the service, and we will be having a luncheon after church to hear from each of them about their work. We would love for you to join for lunch after church on October 2. You can sign-up here: https://forms.gle/pZygLuEp26RqhtmZA.

If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org.

Upcoming Events

Find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!

Parishioner of the Week

Our parishioner of the week is Margo Reed for tackling a fearfully tough task with grit, grace, and humor.

Preaching Schedule

9/18: Jamie

9/25: Kieran

10/2: Youth Sunday

10/9: Patrick

10/16: Kerri

10/23: Craig

10/30: Kieran

11/6:Kirk

11/13: Listening to Our Congregation: LGBTQ Folks

11/20: Christ the King Sunday

11/27: Kirk

12/4: Kirk

12/11: Ryan Miller

12/18: Patrick Broaddus

12/25: Special Christmas Stream (Online Only)

1/1: Brunch Church!

ITLOTC 9-6-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

Hello UBC Family,

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend, and are looking forward to the Fall.  Speaking of Fall, all of our groups at UBC, and volunteer opportunities, kick off this week.  We have our Micasa’s, which are intergenerational community groups.  We have a College Community Group, Women’s Group, LGBTQIA+ and Allies group, and a UBC Young Professionals group.  We also have opportunities for you to volunteer in our Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, and with Cesar Chavez Middle School.  

We would love to for you take a look at this form and find some ways to plug into the life of the church here at UBC.  If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org.

We are so grateful you call UBC home, and look forward to journeying alongside of you this fall.  

Embrace Beauty,

Toph

UBC Pastoral Search Survey

Please take a some time to share your feedback by completing the Pastoral Search Survey or scheduling an in-person listening session, which you can do here. If you have questions, please email pastoralsearch@ubcwaco.org.

This Week at UBC

Youth - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

5th/6th Graders - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC

Pints with Toph - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at Pinewood

Sunday School Begins - Sunday, 9:30 am at UBC

UBC Young Adult Hangout - Sunday, 4 pm at Main Event

Needs of the Church

Kids & Youth Volunteers: We’re still looking for a few great volunteers to help with our Kids and Youth Ministries this semester! 

  • Children’s Ministry: If you’re willing to help with children’s classrooms or check-in one Sunday per month, please email brooke@ubcwaco.org.

  • For more information on Youth Group volunteer needs you can click this link and/or email kieran@ubcwaco.org.

Giving: Our August giving report is below and reflects the current financial need of the church. Click here to give online.

Leadership Team Nominations

We continue to seek Leadership Team nominations following the Aug. 14th bylaws change which removed the requirement that two members be university level students. If you nominated someone previously (in the last month), please know that we have these nominations and will consider them. We want to open up to more nominations in case anyone was unable to get their nomination in previously. 

If you have questions about serving on Leadership Team and want to learn about what all is involved, please feel free to read our bylaws or email LeadershipTeam@UBCWaco.org. Nominations can be sent to our email address or to any of our staff members. 

*Requirements are: Each member of Leadership Team shall have been a member of UBC for at least one year, exhibited an understanding and commitment to the mission and values of the church. Members shall be willing to fulfill all responsibilities in the Leadership Team job description.

Upcoming Events

You can find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!

Parishioner of the Week

The parishioner of the week is Jim Wren for serving his first Sunday with our 3rd and 4th graders.

Preaching Schedule

We’re continuing with a preaching rotation so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s that lineup:

Sept 11: Kirk

Sept: 18: Jamie

Sept 25: Youth Sunday

ITLOTC 8-30-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

Roller Coasters, Sign-up Sheets, and Unexpected Grace

This time of year usually feels a bit like a roller coaster to me, both exhilarating and exhausting. I love the holy possibility represented by a new school year, a new chapter, a new season of life. But it can also feel like a lot as our priorities and schedules, needs and capacity, shift like sand under our feet. We need patience, grace, and some good rhythms to anchor us as we find our footing.

On Sunday morning, we commissioned our kindergartners and their families as they begin a new chapter. We gave each one a book, What is God Like? by Rachel Held Evans and Matthew Paul Turner. We committed along with their families to support them as they learn and grown and are formed in the way of Christ. And we prayed that they would know and experience and share God’s love everyday, and that we would all love each other well.

While we prayed, the kids standing next to me started dive bombing the stage. As I fought down my laughter, I recognized one of the graces that is sustaining me right now—a big giggle and a bit of silliness.

The big table in the lobby was covered in a flurry of sign-up sheets, and this felt like a grace, too—the opportunity to start fresh with the turn of the calendar page. To reflect for a moment on who we’ll be and how we’ll spend our time in the coming months. To anchor ourselves in connection and community, in shared life and shared service.

Wherever you are on the roller coaster today, I hope you’ll uncover an unexpected grace. I hope you’ll belly laugh, and rest, and find an anchoring rhythm. I hope you’ll accept an invitation to connect, and a let a kind friend help you shoulder any pain you’ve been carrying. I hope you’ll offer what you have to share, and be appreciated for the wonder you are.

Grace and peace,

-Brooke

P.S. We compiled that flurry of sign-up sheets into a single online form, so you can do all your signing up in one place.

You can connect with others by joining…

  • MiCasas

  • September Dinner Clubs

  • Women’s Group

  • LGBTQIA & Allies

  • Young Professionals Group

  • Young Professionals Retreat

  • College Community Group

  • Spiritual Direction Group

Or share your time and gifts by volunteering to help with…

  • Music

  • Creative

  • Writing

  • Backside

  • Tech Booth

  • Kids Ministry

  • Youth Ministry

  • Lunch Buddies at Cesar Chaves Middle School

Click here to start signing up. (Individual sign up sheets are available in the lobby, as well, if you prefer to sign up by hand.)

UBC Pastoral Search Survey

Please take a some time to share your feedback by completing the Pastoral Search Survey or scheduling an in-person listening session, which you can do here. If you have questions, please email pastoralsearch@ubcwaco.org.

This Week at UBC

Top(h) Golf - Tonight (Tuesday), 6:00 pm at Top Golf

Youth Evenings - 6:00 pm at UBC

5th/6th Grade Evenings - 6:00 pm at UBC

Pints with Toph - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at Pinewood

First Sunday Meal (Picnic in the Park) - Sunday, September 4th after church: We are going to celebrate the end of summer by hanging out in Cameron Park after church. When the service ends, go grab some food and drinks, or pack a picnic before church. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for your household to sit on. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Needs of the Church

Kids & Youth Volunteers: We greatly need your help with our Kids and Youth Ministries this semester! 

  • If you’d be willing to help with check-in or in children’s classrooms on Sunday mornings and/or to pull supplies (this can be done anytime during the week), please email brooke@ubcwaco.org. P.S. You’d be signing on for a once a month rotation throughout the fall semester, not committing to help every single week.

  • For more information on Youth Group volunteer needs you can click this link and/or email kieran@ubcwaco.org.

Giving: Our July giving report is below and reflects the current financial need of the church. Click here to give online.

A Note from Leadership Team

Hello UBC, 

We hope everyone is fairing well with the start of the semester/school year! We wanted to share some information with you: 

As we brought up in the Town Hall on Aug. 14, we (as Leadership Team) reviewed the bylaws regarding LT membership/requirements. The bylaws read: 

The Leadership Team shall consist of nine members of the UBC community that are not staff, finance team, or human resources team. Two of the Leadership Team’s nine members shall be university level students.

On Aug. 21, LT voted and approved to change the bylaws which will reflect that two university-level students are not required on LT. We highly encourage university-level students to apply and be nominated, but these positions are now open to any congregant member who meets any of the other requirements*. 

Now that we’ve opened these additional positions, we would like to open up nominations once again. If you nominated someone previously (in the last month), please know that we have these nominations and will consider them. We want to open up to more nominations in case anyone was unable to get their nomination in previously. 

If you have questions about serving on Leadership Team and want to learn about what all is involved, please feel free to read our bylaws or email LeadershipTeam@UBCWaco.org. Nominations can be sent to our email address or to any of our staff members. 

We’re thankful for this community and look forward to continuing to serve UBC well. 

Many thanks, 

UBC Leadership Team 

*Requirements are: Each member of Leadership Team shall have been a member of UBC for at least one year, exhibited an understanding and commitment to the mission and values of the church. Members shall be willing to fulfill all responsibilities in the Leadership Team job description.

Upcoming Events

You can find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!

Save the Date for Kids Camp

Parents, go ahead and mark Saturday, July 22nd-Tuesday, July 25th, 2023 on your calendars for Passport Kids Camp. And maybe start planning how you’ll celebrate a few days without your kiddos?

Parishioner of the Week

The parishioner of the week is Jillian Haag for jumping in hard on our children’s ministry needs.

Preaching Schedule

We’re continuing with a preaching rotation so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s that lineup:

Sept 4: Kirk

Sept 11: Kirk

Sept: 18: Jamie

Sept 25: Youth Sunday

ITLOTC 8-23-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

Meet the Leadership Team
Andy Clark

For the next few weeks, we are going to be introducing our newest Leadership Team members. We’ve asked each of them a handful of questions and will be sharing their answers with you here. This week, we’d like to introduce you to Andy Clark.

Why are you in Waco: I have worked at Baylor since 2018. Before that, I attended Baylor for my undergraduate and seminary studies.

Currently Watching or Reading: I am currently in the middle of reading comics writer Jason Aaron’s entire run on Thor, which is about 7 years’ worth of comics spanning from 2012 to 2019.

I also just started reading Heat 2, which is a novel that serves as both a prequel and sequel to the 1995 film Heat, directed by Michael Mann.

Vacation Destination: A couple of my favorite past vacation destinations were Fayetteville, AR and Portland, OR.

Favorite Waco Restaurant to Eat At: These days it’s probably Slim Chickens.

Bible verse/chapter/book that has impacted you: Ezra and Nehemiah (which are generally considered by scholars to be a single work), because the text chronicles the time in which the Old Testament was codified and it helps to frame the history books of the Old Testament (and really the whole thing!) as attempting to answer the question of what it means to be “the people of God.” I think this is a question we strive to answer each and every day, and it helps to remember this has been part of our faith tradition as long as it has existed—and even longer!

Something we'd never know about you: I think professional wrestling is an underappreciated entertainment artform. It's basically a live, semi-improvised stunt show crossed with a soap opera.

UBC Pastoral Search Survey

Please take a some time to share your feedback by completing the Pastoral Search Survey or scheduling an in-person listening session, which you can do here. If you have questions, please email pastoralsearch@ubcwaco.org.

This Week at UBC

Pints with Toph - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at Pinewood: If you enjoy beer, talking current events or discussing theology then this is the group for you. Join us at 6:00p on Wednesday evenings at the Pinewood Public House.. 21 and up, please.  If you have any questions, email Toph.

Kindergarten Commissioning - Sunday during church

Welcome Back Lunch - Sunday right after church: This is an exciting Sunday in the life of the church as we welcome everyone back and celebrate the beginning of the new school year together. We hope you’ll plan to join us on Sunday for a Welcome Back Lunch right after church, catered lunch by El Crucero.

There are no Youth Events this week - Youth Group starts back on Wednesday 31st August from 6:00pm-8:00pm!

Opportunities to Connect

Fall 2022 Spiritual Direction Small Group: This new small group will work together on discerning the activity and presence of God in our daily, ordinary lives, our responses to God’s invitations, and expressing the genuine desires of our hearts. Learn the art and power of listening and asking.

  • Meets weekly from mid-September to early December

  • Maximum 8 total (must be able to commit to regularly attending meetings)

  • Coordinated by Laura Sepanski, who graduated in May from Truett Seminary Spiritual Direction certificate program

  • Email Laura_Sepanski@baylor.edu with questions or interest in signing up.

Women's Group: Ladies! This group, which meets monthly, is centered around community and getting to know one another. This group is primarily for those who are out of college.  If you have any questions, email Tiffany or Noel.

Needs of the Church

Kids & Youth Volunteers: Volunteers are a critical part of UBC’s kids and youth formation. Every so often, we ask if anyone in the congregation is interested in becoming a volunteer, and that time has come once again! For more information on Youth Group volunteer needs you can click this link and/or email kieran@ubcwaco.org. For more information about Kids volunteer needs email taylor@ubcwaco.org.

Vacuum Cleaner Donations: We need to replace several vacuum cleaners that are no longer functioning well. If you are willing and able to donate a functioning vacuum, please email administrator@ubcwaco.org.

MiCasa Leaders: Do you love hosting and cultivating community? We are looking for two more houses for the Fall who would be willing to host one of our MiCasa groups. If you are interested, or know someone who would be a great leader, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Next Week

  • Youth Evenings - Wednesdays at 6:00 pm beginning August 31st

  • 5th/6th Grade Evenings - Wednesdays at 6:00 pm beginning August 31st

  • Picnic in the Park - Sunday, September 4th after church

Upcoming Events

You can find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!

Parishioner of the Week

The parishioner of the week is Kailey Davis for volunteering to help out at the church fair.

Preaching Schedule

We’re continuing with a preaching rotation so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s that lineup:

August 28: Craig

Sept 4: Kirk

Sept 11: Kirk

Sept: 18: Jamie

Sept 25: Youth Sunday

ITLOTC 8-16-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

Meet the Leadership Team
Aleigh Ascherl

For the next few weeks, we are going to be introducing our newest Leadership Team members. We’ve asked each of them a handful of questions and will be sharing their answers with you here. This week, we invite you to get to know Aleigh Ascherl.

Why are you in Waco: 

Practically: I came here in 2011 to attend Truett Seminary and got a job here after graduation.

Philosophically: it’s warmer than Iowa (where I grew up), some of the people I love the most live here, and y’all have breakfast tacos.

Currently Watching or Reading: 

Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow and Devotions by Mary Oliver 

Vacation Destination: Greece 

Favorite Waco Restaurant to Eat At: 

Revival Eastside Eatery for the Technicolor Dream Coat sandwich or Sergio’s food truck for breakfast tacos

Bible verse/chapter/book that has impacted you: 

I’ve always liked how Luke points us toward social justice.

Something we'd never know about you:

I played on UBCs slow pitch softball team, The Satan Slayers, two years before I actually attended my first service at UBC. 

UBC Pastoral Search Survey

The Lead Pastor Search Committee is adamant about having our congregation give feedback on their preferences/hopes in what we want in a lead pastor. We are asking that everyone participate in this process. We will have the survey posted online from August 14 through October 2nd. (For those who’d rather participate in an in-person listening session, more information will be available soon.)

Your answers will be used to create a “Pastor Profile” which will be helps with creating a specific job description and in interviews with potential candidates. Please know that your names and answers will not be shared, as the sole purpose of this survey and these listening sessions is to aggregate/combine/accumulate data. All information will be confidential.

Here is the link to the survey: https://forms.gle/EzdaUNZYdxjV6CDNA

If you have any questions, please feel free to email pastoralsearch@ubcwaco.org.

July Financial Report

Back to School Schedule

We are raising grades for kids this Sunday (August 21).

Youth and 5th/6th grade Wednesdays will start back up on Wednesday, August 31.

Kids & Youth Volunteers

Volunteers are a critical part of UBC’s kids and youth formation. Every so often, we ask if anyone in the congregation is interested in becoming a volunteer, and that time has come once again! For more information on Youth Group volunteer needs you can click this link and/or email kieran@ubcwaco.org. For more information about Kids volunteer needs email taylor@ubcwaco.org.

UBC Picnic in the Park - September 4th - after church

We are going to celebrate the end of summer by hanging out in Cameron Park after church on September 4th. When the service ends, go grab some food and drinks, or pack a picnic before church. We will meet near the Cameron Park Clubhouse and Miss Nellie’s Pretty place. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for your household to sit on. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

 

UBC Partnership Survey

This week is your last chance to fill out our survey on missions at UBC. If you haven’t yet, please take a moment to do that here.

MiCasa Leaders

Do you love hosting and cultivating community? We are looking for two more houses for the Fall who would be willing to host one of our MiCasa groups. If you are interested, or know someone who would be a great leader, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

More Upcoming Events

Planning ahead? You can find our full calendar of events here on our website so you can see which events you’ll want to be able to attend! This calendar is your go-to place for the most up-to-date information concerning church events. We hope you’ll refer to it often!

UBC Meal Calendars

Hi friends! Here are the current Meal Calendar opportunities to serve members of the UBC community:

The Hill Family: mealtrain.com/dy98dv

Parishioner of the Week

The parishioners of the week are Will Knight and Jon Davis for taking care of technical needs this summer while Jamie was on sabbatical.

Preaching Schedule

Staff has put together a preaching rotation through the summer so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s a reminder of that lineup for y’all:

August 21: Taylor

August 28: Craig

Sept 4: Kirk

Sept 11: Toph

Sept: 18: Jamie

Sept 25: Youth Sunday

ITLOTC 8-9-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

Kid’s Camp
by Taylor

We had so much fun at kid’s camp last week! We had a great time during the zip line and out at the lake. I had a sense that everybody had a good time at the night time parties. They had Rec Parties, Mission Market, and the very fun variety show!

We had a great time using the Bible study theme. BIG God. That was a great theme. That helped our students learn a lot about Who God is and How God loves them.

It was time - a great time - for our students to spend some time getting to know each other in new ways.

Town Hall - August 14th - directly after church

We will be having a Town Hall directly after church this Sunday, August 14th. Please make plans to stay and attend. We will have an update from out Leadership Team, Finance, Team, and the Pastor Search Committee. There will also be a time for you to ask questions you may have. We will do our best to keep the town hall at 1hr, so folks can go eat afterwards. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

UBC LGBTQIA+ Community Meetup

Our LGBTQIA+ Community Meetup is tonight! We’ll be meeting at 7 p.m. at Pinewood. This is a time for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to meet one another, connect, and have a fun time. We hope you can join us! If you have any questions, you can email Toph@ubcwaco.org.

MiCasa Leaders

Do you love hosting and cultivating community? We are looking for two more houses for the Fall who would be willing to host one of our MiCasa groups. If you are interested, or know someone who would be a great leader, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

UBC Picnic in the Park - September 4th - after church

We are going to celebrate the end of summer by hanging out in Cameron Park after church on September 4th. When the service ends, go grab some food and drinks, or pack a picnic before church. We will meet near the Cameron Park Clubhouse and Miss Nellie’s Pretty place. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for your household to sit on. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Back to School Schedule

We are doing Kindergarten Commissioning on August 28th.

We are raising grades on September 21st.

UBC Partnership Survey

If you haven’t filled out our survey on missions at UBC, please take a moment to click the link here and fill it out. Thank you so much.

Summer Calendar!

We still have a few weeks and some exciting events left this summer and we’re beginning to add more as we approach the fall. You can find our full calendar of events here on our website if you’re looking to schedule which events you want to attend!

UBC Meal Calendars

Hi friends! Here are the current Meal Calendar opportunities to serve members of the UBC community:

The Howerton Family: mealtrain.com/08y894

The Hill Family: mealtrain.com/dy98dv

Parishioner of the Week

This week’s parishioner of the week is shared by our Clean Day Crew and our Children’s Workers. Thanks so much to all of you for jumping in and helping out.

Preaching Schedule

Staff has put together a preaching rotation through the summer so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s a reminder of that lineup for y’all:

August 14: Patrick

August 21: Taylor

August 28: Craig

ITLOTC 8-2-2022

Ordinary Time

A Brief Introduction
by Brooke


Hey there,

I’m Brooke Cherry Reich and I’m both excited and humbled to be a pastoral associate learning from and with you this year. I’m a recovering perfectionist and know-it-all, an unrepentant bookworm, and a soon-to-be spiritual director.

I grew up loving Baylor, but it wasn’t until I came to Waco as an undergraduate in 1999 that I had the chance to fall in love with Waco and the surrounding area. I’ve loved it ever since. After a decade out of state, my husband Keith, daughter Addie, and I were thrilled to come back and make Waco our home for good in early 2021.

Exploring churches during a pandemic is an interesting proposition. It took us a good long time to find our way to UBC and then almost no time at all for it to feel like home. Thank you for being such a welcoming and spacious place. Our first Sunday visiting was Josh’s announcement, so we haven’t been around long and we’re still working on getting to know everyone but we’re looking forward to it.

As an undergrad at Baylor, I really wanted to study religion but caved in the face of pressure from family and conflict over a woman’s place in ministry so I majored in communications instead. It seemed like the safest and least limiting option at the time. In hindsight, I wish I’d been braver. Instead of studying religion I did the next best thing and married a religion scholar. Lectures and learning for LIFE. (All kidding aside, it was one of the best decisions I ever made.)

I’ve spent my professional life circling my way from work in PR, marketing, and branding back toward something that feels closer to my truest self. Each small step seems to lead toward something related to faith or formation. Last spring, I stepped down from a role helping run a spiritual formation organization in order to make more space for training as a spiritual director and for discerning what may come after that.

I love stories, both telling them and consuming them. Books are my favorite and if given the chance I’ll prescribe them like medicine for whatever ails you. I also love a good movie or podcast or email newsletter. Not such a big fan of social media. (I’m especially geeking out lately over a new favorite sci fi author. Any other Becky Chambers fans?)

I tend to listen more than I talk and ask a lot of questions. I’ve found the liturgical calendar and the lectionary and contemplative practices to be really meaningful and helpful and I consider cooking an act of prayer.

I am incapable of making a long story short, as evidenced here, and I hope you won’t feel the need to shorten the stories you tell me either.

I hope we get to chat soon!

~b

UBC Clean Day - This Sunday (August 7th)

It’s not too late to sign up for our annual clean day to help get the building ready for the fall. If you’re able to stick around after church on August 7th, we’d love your help with some summer cleaning in exchange for pizza and drinks. Please email toph@ubcwaco.org by Thursday if you plan to participate so he knows how much pizza to order.

UBC LGBTQIA+ Community Meetup

UBC is excited to host another LGBTQIA+ Community Meetup! We’ll be meeting on Tuesday, August 9th at 7 p.m. at Pinewood. This is a time for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to meet one another, connect, and have a fun time. We hope you can join us! If you have any questions, you can email Toph@ubcwaco.org

Town Hall - August 14th - directly after church

We will be having a Town Hall directly after church on August 14th. Please make plans to stay and attend. We will have an update from out Leadership Team, Finance, Team, and the Pastor Search Committee. There will also be a time for you to ask questions you may have. We will do our best to keep the town hall at 1hr, so folks can go eat afterwards. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

UBC Partnership Survey

If you haven’t filled out our survey on missions at UBC, please take a moment to click the link below and fill it out. Thank you so much.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GG1kfN52n96SgphHVKjAUnLp5XTE1yv5tPKo0vavdQM

COVID Update from Leadership Team

Hello UBC,

We hope you are all enjoying summer and finding ways to stay cool! You may have noticed that COVID numbers have increased locally—according to the CDC, the current COVID community level in McLennan county is Medium, falling from High last week. We want you to know that the staff and Leadership Team are carefully watching the numbers and being mindful of how we care for one another during this season.

Given the current spread of COVID in our community, we want to remind you that you are welcome to wear a mask if you feel that is best for you and your family. We are currently not requiring masks at UBC.

As always if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to anyone on staff or Leadership Team.

To learn more about the community level, you can visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html

Summer Calendar!

We have many exciting events coming up this summer and you can find our full calendar of events here on our website if you’re looking to schedule which events you want to attend this summer!

UBC Meal Calendars

Hi friends! Here are the current Meal Calendar opportunities to serve members of the UBC community:

The Pittman Family: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/mm81m6

The Howerton Family: mealtrain.com/08y894

The Hill Family: mealtrain.com/dy98dv

Parishioner of the Week

This week’s parishioner of the week is Joel Nelson, for helping us improve our bathroom stalls! Jesus was a carpenter Joel, so you’re in good company!

Preaching Schedule

Staff has put together a preaching rotation through the summer so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s a reminder of that lineup for y’all:

August 7: Sharyl

August 14: Patrick

August 21: Taylor

August 28: Craig

ITLOTC 7.26.2022

Ordinary Time

UBC Partnership Survey (think missions)
by Toph


One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Isaiah 61:1-3.

”The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.”

This is also the passage Jesus quotes when he comes back from the desert, announcing his ministry. I love this passage for many reasons, and one of them is the focus on the marginalized and grieving. The pandemic changed a lot of things, but one thing that hasn’t changed is that global disasters always disproportionally affect the poor and marginalized in greater ways. The pandemic also shifted many of our partners and our work with them.

A few weeks ago, I was able to go to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly, and learn from some great practitioners. In my learning, and in my discerning, it seems like a good time to ask all of you lovely people: what do you think UBC’s role should be in our work with local, national, and international partners? What do you think our gifts are as a community, and how do you think we can best serve the kingdom of God? I would love you to take a few minutes to fill out this survey, and ask your friends who go to UBC to fill it out as well.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GG1kfN52n96SgphHVKjAUnLp5XTE1yv5tPKo0vavdQM/edit

Waco Dives - July 27 - noon - Alpha and Omega

We would love for you to come hang out tomorrow at Waco Dives at noon, at Alpha and Omega. This is a great time to enjoy some good food, and get to know other UBC’ers. This is our last Waco Dives of the summer. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

UBC Clean Day - August 7th

We are gearing up for the fall, and we are hosting our annual clean day to help get the building ready. Please plan to stick around after church on August 7th, to help us to do some summer cleaning. There will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer this Sunday. We will have some pizza available and drinks. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Summer Calendar!

We have many exciting events coming up this summer and you can find our full calendar of events here on our website if you’re looking to schedule which events you want to attend this summer!

UBC LGBTQIA+ Community Meetup

UBC is excited to host another LGBTQIA+ Community Meetup! We’ll be meeting on Tuesday, August 9th at 7 p.m. at Pinewood. This is a time for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to meet one another, connect, and have a fun time. We hope you can join us! If you have any questions, you can email Toph@ubcwaco.org

UBC Meal Calendars

Hi friends! Here are the current Meal Calendar opportunities to serve members of the UBC community:

The Pittman Family: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/mm81m6

The Howerton Family: mealtrain.com/08y894

The Hill Family: mealtrain.com/dy98dv

Parishioner of the Week

The Carron’s and the Harp’s for hosting our first ever UBC Neighborhood Parties on Friday night. There was a great turnout, and be looking out for another party night this Fall.

Preaching Schedule

Staff has put together a preaching rotation through the summer so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s a reminder of that lineup for y’all:

July 31: Kirk

August 7: Sharyl

August 14: Patrick

August 21: Taylor

August 28: Craig

ITLOTC 7-19-2022

Ordinary Time

Who’s Singing with You? (by Toph)

Hello,

I’ve been thinking about Ted Lasso a lot lately, more than the usual. I am eagerly anticipating when Apply TV+ will make the announcement about the final season, and have already started planning my binge watching meals accordingly. There is one particular scene I keep thinking about in the second season. Towards the end of the second season, Rebecca’s father dies, and she is asked to give a eulogy at the funeral. As one often is with grief, she is struggling to find the words to express her thoughts, and so she starts singing a family favorite; “Never Gone Give You Up.”

It’s one of those painfully awkward scenes. She is singing softly, fighting back tears, and the crowd is looking at her with a sense of confusion. I mean, who RickRolls folks at a funeral. This awkwardness doesn’t last long though, because one Theodore Lasso starts to sing along with Rebecca. He is sitting in the back, and just starts singing along. Ted doesn’t care about the the social norms, or if he will look foolish, what he cares about is his friend Rebecca. And what Rebecca needed in that moment was someone to sing with her, and help her get through the eulogy.

Jesus continually disrupted social norms to care for people: dining with sinner and tax collectors in their homes, speaking with folks he “shouldn’t,” and consistently breaking the sabbath laws. He did all these things to give an expression of care, to show people in his orbit that he loved them. I’ve been thinking about all the people in my life who have shown me care over the last few years, and the countless ways they have loved me. I have also been thinking about the ways in which I get to show love and care as a pastor. It truly is a gift to be invited into a moment when someone is grieving, or having a difficult time, and to express care and love for them. If you are having a difficult time, or want someone to come sing with you, know I would love to.

Lastly, take a minute to think about those in your life who have cared for you, and maybe even made a fool of themselves in doing so. Take a moment and give thanks.

Waco Dives - July 20 - noon - Shorty’s Pizza

We would love for you to come hang out tomorrow at Waco Dives at noon, at Shorty’s Pizza. This is a great time to enjoy some good food, and get to know other UBC’ers. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Leadership and Finance Team Nominations

First we'd like to applaud Kathy Krey and Taylor Beard for their leadership these last three years.  Kathy and Taylor’s stints on LT are coming to an end this August. We are thankful for their service to our community

So that means we are looking for new folks to serve on the leadership team.  Here is some information for you to consider from the bylaws. 

Section 1.  Leadership Team

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

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

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

Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

We also have some previously scheduled Finance Team rotations! And so we’re also looking for new Finance Team members. Here is some information to consider from the Bylaws:

Finance Team: The Finance Team is an advisory group to the staff and  Leadership Team, providing guidance, support, and oversight of the financial  aspects of the church. This 5-7 person team of lay members, in consultation with  the Lead Pastor and Office Administrator, meets at least quarterly to prepare the  proposed annual budget, review the church’s fiscal condition, and make  recommendations and decisions regarding expenditures, investments, and other  financial matters. Qualifications and terms for Finance Team service are outlined in  the UBC Bylaws. 

These positions are incredibly important for our community and an important way to serve! Thanks for considering carefully if you are interested or if you know someone who might do a good job. Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

UBC Clean Day - August 7th

We are gearing up for the fall, and we are hosting our annual clean day to help get the building ready. Please plan to stick around after church on August 7th, to help us to do some summer cleaning. We will have some pizza available and drinks. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Summer Calendar!

We have many exciting events coming up this summer and you can find our full calendar of events here on our website if you’re looking to schedule which events you want to attend this summer!

UBC LGBTQIA+ Community Meetup

UBC is excited to host another LGBTQIA+ Community Meetup! We’ll be meeting on Tuesday, August 9th at 7 p.m. at Pinewood. This is a time for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to meet one another, connect, and have a fun time. We hope you can join us! If you have any questions, you can email Toph@ubcwaco.org

UBC Meal Calendars

Hi friends! Here are the current Meal Calendar opportunities to serve members of the UBC community:

The Pittman Family: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/mm81m6

The Howerton Family: mealtrain.com/08y894

The Hill Family: mealtrain.com/dy98dv

Parishioner of the Week

Jon Davis for working tirelessly on updating our Wifi so we can continue streaming on Sunday mornings. If you see Jon around this week, buy him a cup of coffee or a pint.

Preaching Schedule

Staff has put together a preaching rotation through the summer so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s a reminder of that lineup for y’all:

July 24: Kerri

July 31: Kirk

August 7: Sharyl

August 14: Patrick

August 21: Taylor

August 28: Craig

ITLOTC 7-12-2022

Ordinary Time

Summertime

Hey friends!!

It is so incredibly hot. So hot. My mom keeps talking to me about the summer of 1980? And I keep reminding her about the summer of 2011. Neither of us is rally listening to each other because we are both SO RIDICULOUSLY HOT.

I can’t think straight. We’ve reached a part of the summer season where it no longer matters if you’re standing in the sun or the shade - it feels exactly the same. My car does not cool in time to impact the temperature before I reach my destination. We’ve reached a critical mass where unless there is water involved I cannot participate in outdoor activities (and neither should anyone else).

It’s made me reflect - because normally being outside is a very helpful self-care practice for me. But not right now. It’s made me think about the ways things change. Normally being outside is good for me. But if I just continued going outside without making any adaptations it would not be a helpful practice. I have to adapt. I have to make changes, to ask for help.

All of our practices are this way. And I hope this summer as you attempt to rest that you remember to check in. Make sure your practices are working, that they are helpful, and that they make you feel better after them. I’m thankful for all of you and I hope you’re all taking time to rest! You can make it through the heat! See you this Sunday!

Waco Dives - July 3 - noon - Wako Taco

We would love for you to come hang out tomorrow at Waco Dives at noon, at the Wako Taco. This is a great time to enjoy some good food, and get to know other UBC’ers. Wako Taco has some great tacos, in my humble opinion. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Leadership and Finance Team Nominations

First we'd like to applaud Kathy Krey and Taylor Beard for their leadership these last three years.  Kathy and Taylor’s stints on LT are coming to an end this August. We are thankful for their service to our community

So that means we are looking for new folks to serve on the leadership team.  Here is some information for you to consider from the bylaws. 

Section 1.  Leadership Team

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

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

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

Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

We also have some previously scheduled Finance Team rotations! And so we’re also looking for new Finance Team members. Here is some information to consider from the Bylaws:

Finance Team: The Finance Team is an advisory group to the staff and  Leadership Team, providing guidance, support, and oversight of the financial  aspects of the church. This 5-7 person team of lay members, in consultation with  the Lead Pastor and Office Administrator, meets at least quarterly to prepare the  proposed annual budget, review the church’s fiscal condition, and make  recommendations and decisions regarding expenditures, investments, and other  financial matters. Qualifications and terms for Finance Team service are outlined in  the UBC Bylaws. 

These positions are incredibly important for our community and an important way to serve! Thanks for considering carefully if you are interested or if you know someone who might do a good job. Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

5/6 Grade Movie Day! July 16 - 1pm

We have a 5th and 6th Grade event this Saturday! We will meet at UBC at 1pm-3pm to watch a movie and eat some movie snacks! I'm excited for us all to spend some time together! If you have time to let me know if your student will be there just let me know!

UBC Neighborhood Parties - July 22nd - 6pm

We are excited to announce our first round of UBC Neighborhood Parties. This will be on Friday night, July 22, at 6pm. We will have one location in the Hewitt/Woodway area, and one location in town in Castle Heights. UBC will provide the main dish, we ask that you bring a side dish or dessert to share. There are sign-up forms in the lobby on Sundays, and/or you can email toph@ubcwaco.org to sign-up. This is a family friendly event, so definitely bring the kids, and invite your friends. If you have any questions, please contact Toph.

Summer Calendar!

We have many exciting events coming up this summer and you can find our full calendar of events here on our website if you’re looking to schedule which events you want to attend this summer!

UBC LGBTQIA+ Community Meetup

UBC is excited to host another LGBTQIA+ Community Meetup! We’ll be meeting on Tuesday, August 9th at 7 p.m. at Pinewood. This is a time for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to meet one another, connect, and have a fun time. We hope you can join us! If you have any questions, you can email Toph@ubcwaco.org

UBC Meal Calendars

Hi friends! Here are the current Meal Calendar opportunities to serve members of the UBC community:

The Pittman Family: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/mm81m6

The Howerton Family: mealtrain.com/08y894

The Hill Family: mealtrain.com/dy98dv

Parishioner of the Week

Thanks so much to all our summer guest preachers! We have been so formed by you this summer and I’m excited to see the ways you will continue to form us moving forward!

Preaching Schedule

Staff has put together a preaching rotation through the summer so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s a reminder of that lineup for y’all:

July 17: Lilly

July 24: Kerri

July 31: Kirk

August 7: Sharyl

August 14: Patrick

August 21: Taylor

August 28: Craig

ITLOTC 7-5-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

UBC Kids Hangouts

Hey friends!!

This summer we’ve been hanging out around Waco with our UBC Kids and families! Today we went to the Splash Pad at Cameron Park and had a great time!!

I hope you’ll be able to come join us sometime! We’ll see you soon!

-TCP

Waco Dives - July 6 - noon - The Eatery

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend. We would love for you to come hang out tomorrow at Waco Dives at noon, at the The Eatery. This is a great time to enjoy some good food, and get to know other UBC’ers. The Eatery has the best soul food in town, in my humble opinion. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org

Leadership and Finance Team Nominations

First we'd like to applaud Kathy Krey and Taylor Beard for their leadership these last three years.  Kathy and Taylor’s stints on LT are coming to an end this August. We are thankful for their service to our community

So that means we are looking for new folks to serve on the leadership team.  Here is some information for you to consider from the bylaws. 

Section 1.  Leadership Team

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

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

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

Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

We also have some previously scheduled Finance Team rotations! And so we’re also looking for new Finance Team members. Here is some information to consider from the Bylaws:

Finance Team: The Finance Team is an advisory group to the staff and  Leadership Team, providing guidance, support, and oversight of the financial  aspects of the church. This 5-7 person team of lay members, in consultation with  the Lead Pastor and Office Administrator, meets at least quarterly to prepare the  proposed annual budget, review the church’s fiscal condition, and make  recommendations and decisions regarding expenditures, investments, and other  financial matters. Qualifications and terms for Finance Team service are outlined in  the UBC Bylaws. 

These positions are incredibly important for our community and an important way to serve! Thanks for considering carefully if you are interested or if you know someone who might do a good job. Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

UBC Neighborhood Parties - July 22nd - 6pm

We are excited to announce our first round of UBC Neighborhood Parties. This will be on Friday night, July 22, at 6pm. We will have one location in the Hewitt/Woodway area, and one location in town in Castle Heights. UBC will provide the main dish, we ask that you bring a side dish or dessert to share. There are sign-up forms in the lobby on Sundays, and/or you can email toph@ubcwaco.org to sign-up. This is a family friendly event, so definitely bring the kids, and invite your friends. If you have any questions, please contact Toph.

Summer Calendar!

We have many exciting events coming up this summer and you can find our full calendar of events here on our website if you’re looking to schedule which events you want to attend this summer!

UBC Meal Calendars

Hi friends! Here are the current Meal Calendar opportunities to serve members of the UBC community:

The Pittman Family: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/mm81m6

The Howerton Family: mealtrain.com/08y894

The Hill Family: mealtrain.com/dy98dv

Parishioner of the Week

Finance Team! Thank you guys for all you do for UBC!

Preaching Schedule

Staff has put together a preaching rotation through the summer so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s a reminder of that lineup for y’all.

6-26 Kerri Fisher

July 3: Taylor

July 10: Sharyl

July 17: Lilly

July 24: Kerri

July 31: Kirk

August 7: Sharyl

August 14: Patrick

August 21: Taylor

August 28: Craig

ITLOTC 6-28-22

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

Introducing Kirk Hatcher - New Interim Pastor!

Hey there UBC’ers!

My name is Kirk Hatcher, and if I haven’t met you yet, I hope we’ll meet soon! I get the privilege of serving as UBC’s Interim Pastor for as long, or as short, as it takes to find the right person for the job of UBC’s lead pastor.

I am married to Jill. Last weekend, we shared our 28th anniversary. We have three boys: - Britton, married to Erin, living in Houston with our granddog Theo, - Caeden, engaged to Sophia, living in Waco (wedding in November!), and - Dylan, just finished his freshman year at Baylor. We have a mostly empty nest, that we are growing to love more and more. In this nest you will also find our 2 pups: - Lucy, a 1 yr old Schnoodle who barks at anything and everything - which leads to many nights of fear when she barks out of nowhere, and - Minnie, an almost 3 month old goldendoodle who will be bigger than Lucy at any moment. These two keep the nest less empty and nearly as loud as it was with three boys.

I went to Baylor as an undergraduate student. I went to Truett Seminary, graduating a long time ago with the first class. Since then I’ve served in churches along the coast of Texas, in Temple, in Houston, and in Norman, OK, for a total of 25 years.

We moved to Waco in 2017 so that my wife could begin work in Baylor’s Spiritual Life department. Since moving here, I’ve begun work in Baylor’s HR department. We LOVE being back in Waco, going to parts of the city we never went to as students.

My hope and prayer for this interim time is that we could all collectively take a breath and prepare the church for a new lead pastor that will be coming very soon. This preparation can come in many shapes and sizes, and we may very well see all those sizes and shapes together.

As we worship together, as we are formed together, as we serve together, as we listen carefully together…may we be who God asks us to be.

-Kirk

UBC Kid’s Hangouts

If you are interested in having some fun and getting to know some other UBCers then come meet us next week, July 5th, at the Cameron Park Splash Pad! Throughout the summer we are going to be having UBC Kids Hangouts! We'll meet next week at 2pm and we'll splash around and UBC will provide some waters and snacks and we’ll all have a great time! If you think you're interested in coming let Taylor know so she can be on the lookout for you!

Leadership and Finance Team Nominations

First we'd like to applaud Kathy Krey and Taylor Beard for their leadership these last three years.  Kathy and Taylor’s stints on LT are coming to an end this August. We are thankful for their service to our community

So that means we are looking for new folks to serve on the leadership team.  Here is some information for you to consider from the bylaws. 

Section 1.  Leadership Team

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

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

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

Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

We also have some previously scheduled Finance Team rotations! And so we’re also looking for new Finance Team members. Here is some information to consider from the Bylaws:

Finance Team: The Finance Team is an advisory group to the staff and  Leadership Team, providing guidance, support, and oversight of the financial  aspects of the church. This 5-7 person team of lay members, in consultation with  the Lead Pastor and Office Administrator, meets at least quarterly to prepare the  proposed annual budget, review the church’s fiscal condition, and make  recommendations and decisions regarding expenditures, investments, and other  financial matters. Qualifications and terms for Finance Team service are outlined in  the UBC Bylaws. 

These positions are incredibly important for our community and an important way to serve! Thanks for considering carefully if you are interested or if you know someone who might do a good job. Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

UBC Neighborhood Parties - July 22nd - 6pm

We are excited to announce our first round of UBC Neighborhood Parties.  This will be on Friday night, July 22, at 6pm.  We will have one location in the Hewitt/Woodway area, and one location in town in Castle Heights.  UBC will provide the main dish, we ask that you bring a side dish or dessert to share.  There will be sign-up forms in the lobby starting this Sunday, and/or you can email toph@ubcwaco.org Waco to sign-up.  This is a family friendly event, so definitely bring the kids, and invite your friends.  If you have any questions, please contact Toph.

Summer Calendar!

We have many exciting events coming up this summer and you can find our full calendar of events here on our website if you’re looking to schedule which events you want to attend this summer!

UBC Meal Calendars

Hi friends! Here are the current Meal Calendar opportunities to serve members of the UBC community:

The Pittman Family: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/mm81m6

The Howerton Family: mealtrain.com/08y894

The Hill Family: mealtrain.com/dy98dv

Parishioner of the Week

Margo Shanks - for being a champion!

Preaching Schedule

Staff has put together a preaching rotation through the summer so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s a reminder of that lineup for y’all.

6-26 Kerri Fisher

July 3: Taylor

July 10: Sharyl

July 17: Lilly

July 24: Kerri

July 31: Kirk

ITLOTC 6-22-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

VBS Compassion Camp!

Last week we had SO much fun at Compassion Camp VBS! Pic for proof:

We learned about sharing LovingKindness with our friends and families, with ourselves, and with our neighbors and communities. We learned to jump into compassion. And we learned the stories of Miriam, Elijah, the Good Samaritan, Pentecost, and a thankful Paul. We also learned a helpful chant to remember to have empathy for others, “I see your hurt, I feel your hurt, I help ease your hurt.”

I am so thankful for your support as a community - through both your. donation of time from our volunteers and also through your monetary giving so we could afford supplies and space for our kids to learn and have fun and be formed safely! Thanks so much for your participation in our community. I am very thankful

Interim Pastor Announcement from LT

Dear UBC,

The Leadership Team is pleased to announce the appointment of Kirk Hatcher as UBC’s Interim Pastor. Kirk lives here in Waco where he works in human resources at Baylor. Previously, Kirk served for over 25 years in churches in Texas and Oklahoma as Pastor to Students, Minister of Youth and Minister of Spiritual Formation. He has an MDiv from Truett and an accounting degree from Baylor.

Kirk has accepted a part-time interim pastor position with UBC, beginning on June 26th. During this time of interim he will be responsible for administration and pastoral leadership, including working with the Leadership, Human Resources, and Finance teams and supervising staff to ensure that UBC runs smoothly. Kirk will also be responsible for pastoral care including preaching and worship collaboration.

The Leadership Team would like to express our gratitude to the congregation for your patience, prayers, and words of support during this transition season. We especially appreciate the work of everyone on HR and Finance Teams for their dedication and service. Lastly, an extra measure of gratitude is due to the staff for scheduling weekly supply pastors and overseeing our Sunday worship services during this time of pastoral transition.

Kirk is eager to begin the work of pastoring UBC, and we are excited for him to meet our church community. He will have more specific information regarding office hours and contact information very soon. We hope you will make plans to join us this Sunday, June 26, as we welcome Kirk Hatcher to UBC!  

-LT

UBC Kid’s Hangouts

If you are interested in having some fun and getting to know some other UBCers then come meet us tomorrow at UBC for a movie day! Throughout the summer we are going to be having UBC Kids Hangouts! We'll meet tomorrow at 2pm and we'll watch a movie and eat some movie snacks and have a great time! If you think you're interested in coming let Taylor know so she can be on the lookout for you!

Leadership and Finance Team Nominations

First we'd like to applaud Kathy Krey and Taylor Beard for their leadership these last three years.  Kathy and Taylor’s stints on LT are coming to an end this August. We are thankful for their service to our community

So that means we are looking for new folks to serve on the leadership team.  Here is some information for you to consider from the bylaws. 

Section 1.  Leadership Team

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

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

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

Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

We also have some previously scheduled Finance Team rotations! And so we’re also looking for new Finance Team members. Here is some information to consider from the Bylaws:

Finance Team: The Finance Team is an advisory group to the staff and  Leadership Team, providing guidance, support, and oversight of the financial  aspects of the church. This 5-7 person team of lay members, in consultation with  the Lead Pastor and Office Administrator, meets at least quarterly to prepare the  proposed annual budget, review the church’s fiscal condition, and make  recommendations and decisions regarding expenditures, investments, and other  financial matters. Qualifications and terms for Finance Team service are outlined in  the UBC Bylaws. 

These positions are incredibly important for our community and an important way to serve! Thanks for considering carefully if you are interested or if you know someone who might do a good job. Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

Summer Calendar!

We have many exciting events coming up this summer and you can find our full calendar of events here on our website if you’re looking to schedule which events you want to attend this summer! We’ll also be printing a hard copy for you to take home and keep on your fridge or wherever you keep your calendar! So be on the lookout for that!

UBC Meal Calendars

Hi friends! Here are the current Meal Calendar opportunities to serve members of the UBC community:

The Pittman Family: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/mm81m6

The Howerton Family: mealtrain.com/08y894

Parishioner of the Week

All of our VBS Volunteers! Thank you so much for making VBS a hit! You all did such a wonderful job!

Preaching Schedule

Staff has put together a preaching rotation through the summer so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s a reminder of that lineup for y’all.

6-26 Kerri Fisher

July 3: Taylor

July 10: Sharyl

July 17: Lilly

July 24: Kerri

July 31: Interim

ItLOTC 6-15-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

Waco Dives – by Toph

Greetings UBC’ers! It’s summer, and one of my favorite summer events is Waco Dives. Each week we gather at a different Waco food paradise to enjoy some delicious cuisine, and get to know one another. We had our second one today, and would love for you to join us next Wednesday at noon at the Route 77 Food Park. We will take a break on June 29th, as I will be at CBF General Assembly in Dallas that Wednesday. You can find a list of the rest of summer dive locations on the calendar at www.ubcwaco.org .Speaking of food, here are 5 of my favorite places in Waco (in no particular order), and what you should order:

El Crucero: soyrizo, potato, and cheese taco – it’s the perfect amount of heat, grilled potato,

and cheesy goodness

Curry Up and Wok This Way: pad see eww – it’s the most authentic one I’ve had outside of

Thailand.

Revival Eastside Eatery: whatever the special of the day is, particular if it’s a sandwich or burger

– always fresh, and often some surprising flavor combinations that you don’t think will work, but does.

Kitok’s: bulgogi burger and oriental fries – great Korean flavors meet the classic American

burger and fries. This might be Waco’s best food creation.

Tru Jamaica: jerk chicken – the perfect blend of some savory island flavor with a great kick – for

extra spicy, ask for the scotch bonnet hot sauce to add to your rice and peas

Leadership and Finance Team Nominations

First we'd like to applaud Kathy Krey, Jose Zuniga, and Taylor Beard for their leadership these last three years.  Their stints are coming to an end this August and they will rolling off over the course of the Fall. We are thankful for their service to our community

So that means we are looking for new folks to serve on the leadership team.  Here is some information for you to consider from the bylaws. 

Section 1.  Leadership Team

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

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

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

Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

We also have some previously scheduled Finance Team rotations! And so we’re also looking for new Finance Team members. Here is some information to consider from the Bylaws:

Finance Team: The Finance Team is an advisory group to the staff and  Leadership Team, providing guidance, support, and oversight of the financial  aspects of the church. This 5-7 person team of lay members, in consultation with  the Lead Pastor and Office Administrator, meets at least quarterly to prepare the  proposed annual budget, review the church’s fiscal condition, and make  recommendations and decisions regarding expenditures, investments, and other  financial matters. Qualifications and terms for Finance Team service are outlined in  the UBC Bylaws. 

These positions are incredibly important for our community and an important way to serve! Thanks for considering carefully if you are interested or if you know someone who might do a good job. Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

VBS - Compassion Camp!

Our VBS is happening right now! It’s called “Compassion Camp - Changing the world with LovingKindness!” It’s for kid’s ages 2yo-4th grade and 5th Grade-Adults are welcome to come serve as volunteers. We have three more more days and we’re meeting nightly from 5:30-8pm! If you would like to volunteer to help or if you would like your child to attend you can still come. Just email taylor@ubcwaco.org

Summer Calendar!

We have many exciting events coming up this summer and you can find our full calendar of events here on our website if you’re looking to schedule which events you want to attend this summer! We’ll also be printing a hard copy for you to take home and keep on your fridge or wherever you keep your calendar! So be on the lookout for that!

Foster Care Awareness

Want to learn more about foster care and ways to get involved? Interested in engaging faith communities? There will be Foster Care Awareness Events on June 21 and 22 at St. Alban's Episcopal Church to learn more about foster care in our community sponsored by St. Alban's and Families and Foster Care Coalition. Dinner and childcare provided. Learn more details and RSVP at https://forms.gle/YnMqWyMKyXiMtkNy8.

UBC Meal Calendars

Hi friends! Here are the current Meal Calendar opportunities to serve members of the UBC community:

The Pittman Family: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/mm81m6

The Howerton Family: mealtrain.com/08y894

Parishioner of the Week

The Carrons for filling in for worship on Sunday! Thank you so much for leading us on Sunday!

Preaching Schedule

Staff has put together a preaching rotation through the summer so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s a reminder of that lineup for y’all.

6-17 Lilly Ettinger

6-26 Kerri Fisher

July 3: Taylor

July 10: Sharyl

July 17: Lilly

July 24: Kerri

July 31: Interim

ITLOTC 6-7-2022

(In The Life Of The Church)

Ordinary Time

Y’all means ALL – by Toph (he/him) 

Coming back from sabbatical is always a transition.  It is such a gift to be given an extended amount of time to reflect and recharge, but it takes me a little while to ease back into the rhythm of routine.  During my sabbatical I was able to worship at a few different churches, those which family and friends attend in Thailand and Tennessee, and it always makes me miss UBC.  I love the community we, you and I, have built here together.  I love the freedom to be able to voice our convictions, both publicly and privately, and know even if we disagree it does not mean we are not community, or we are not pursuing the holy work of loving God, embracing beauty, and living life to the fullest. 
In Cole Arthur Riley’s book, This Here Flesh, she writes: “I don’t have many certainties about God.  I do have many hopes.  Chief among them is that it’s true what they say: that God is love, is made of love, and looks at the faces of you and me and my gramma and, without hesitation or demand, delights.”As one of your pastors, let me affirm this hope, and let you know that the Creator of the cosmos, created you, and takes great delight in you.  I am also mindful it is Pride month, and the Church has done so much harm through the years to the LGBTQIA+ community.  As a CIS-gender heterosexual white male, I have not felt this pain, but as I listened in 2019 to many of our LGBTQIA+ folks, I heard their pain and their stories.  So today, being my first newsletter back from sabbatical, I wanted to remind all of us that God is Love and takes great delight in you. 

We did this “for the sake of clarity” post last year, and this is what we said:  “UBC  unequivocally supports the queer community, completely affirming them in their identity, and their calls to service and ministry.  Queer folks can serve in all capacities, engage in communion, and be married at UBC.”  Amen.One of my favorite parts of returning from sabbatical is seeing you and knowing at UBC we are doing our best to create safe spaces for ALL people to know, feel, and experience the radically inclusive love of God.  If the Church, or in particular UBC, has caused you pain, I would love to listen to your story and ask for forgiveness.  If the Church, or in particular UBC, has been a place of refuge and comfort, I would love to listen to your story and give thanks to God together.  One of the favorite parts of my job is sit across from another human, and listen, and be invited into a space in which our stories might form one another and challenge us to live into the great Story.  If you would like to grab coffee, lunch, or a pint soon, I would love that.  I’ve missed y’all.

Leadership and Finance Team Nominations

First we'd like to applaud Kathy Krey, Jose Zuniga, and Taylor Beard for their leadership these last three years.  Their stints are coming to an end this August and they will rolling off over the course of the Fall. We are thankful for their service to our community

So that means we are looking for new folks to serve on the leadership team.  Here is some information for you to consider from the bylaws. 

Section 1.  Leadership Team

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

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

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

Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

We also have some previously scheduled Finance Team rotations! And so we’re also looking for new Finance Team members. Here is some information to consider from the Bylaws:

Finance Team: The Finance Team is an advisory group to the staff and  Leadership Team, providing guidance, support, and oversight of the financial  aspects of the church. This 5-7 person team of lay members, in consultation with  the Lead Pastor and Office Administrator, meets at least quarterly to prepare the  proposed annual budget, review the church’s fiscal condition, and make  recommendations and decisions regarding expenditures, investments, and other  financial matters. Qualifications and terms for Finance Team service are outlined in  the UBC Bylaws. 

These positions are incredibly important for our community and an important way to serve! Thanks for considering carefully if you are interested or if you know someone who might do a good job. Nominations begin now.  So if you'd like to nominate yourself or anyone else, please send an email to anyone on staff, toph or taylor

VBS - Compassion Camp!

Our VBS is right around the corner! It’s called “Compassion Camp - Changing the world with LovingKindness!” It’s for kid’s ages 2yo-4th grade and 5th Grade-Adults are welcome to come serve as volunteers. It will be the week of June 13-17 (Mon-Fri) and it will be nightly from 5:30-8pm! If you would like to volunteer to help or if you would like your child to attend you can email taylor@ubcwaco.org

Summer Calendar!

We have many exciting events coming up this summer and you can find our full calendar of events here on our website if you’re looking to schedule which events you want to attend this summer! We’ll also be printing a hard copy for you to take home and keep on your fridge or wherever you keep your calendar! So be on the lookout for that!

Waco Dives - Kitok’s at noon!

In the summer we like to get together and get lunch at a different local Waco restaurant! This week our local restaurant expert (Toph) has chosen Kitok’s as the restaurant for the week! So we will meet there tomorrow (Wednesday) at noon to enjoy lunch together! We hope you can make it!

Foster Care Awareness

Want to learn more about foster care and ways to get involved? Interested in engaging faith communities? There will be Foster Care Awareness Events on June 21 and 22 at St. Alban's Episcopal Church to learn more about foster care in our community sponsored by St. Alban's and Families and Foster Care Coalition. Dinner and childcare provided. Learn more details and RSVP at https://forms.gle/YnMqWyMKyXiMtkNy8.

UBC Meal Calendars

Hi friends! Here are the current Meal Calendar opportunities to serve members of the UBC community:

The Pittman Family: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/mm81m6

The Howerton Family: mealtrain.com/08y894

Parishioner of the Week

The Carrons for filling in for worship on Sunday! Thank you so much for leading us on Sunday!

Preaching Schedule

Staff has put together a preaching rotation through the summer so that we might hear from the UBC community during this season. Here’s a reminder of that lineup for y’all.

6-12 Craig Nash

6-17 Lilly Ettinger

6-26 Kerri Fisher

July 3: Taylor

July 10: Sharyl

July 17: Lilly

July 24: Kerri

July 31: Interim

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