ANDIE’S POST
Life groups. Home groups. Disciple groups. Cells. Honeycombs. Hexagons. I've heard every cutesie, annoying, or questionable name under the sun for something that is relatively consistent across the board. We call them small groups, and I want to tell you why I think you should consider joining one: Small groups at Ubc function a little differently. The content is not set, the format is flexible, and the environment isn’t pressured. I recognize that we are all quite busy, that we have friends outside of our congregation, and committing to something a couple of times a month might seem daunting. What I have found in my time as a small group host is the opportunity to take a breath and be in the presence of people who want good and beautiful things for me. I’ve found solace in people who understand what it feels like to be a progressive follower of Christ in Central Texas. I’ve built deeper relationships with people who understand my frustrations and fears and still want to hang out and have fun with me. I have offered vulnerability and it has been received, but never expected. I have held the realities of several other Ubcers as they navigated shifting family dynamics, new jobs, a tense political climate, divorce, new relationships, and so much more. It is an honor to exist in a microcosm of Ubc that offers the opportunity to truly share our lives in a healthy and hopeful way. That said, I know so many stories of small groups gone horribly awry. I have long considered myself a small group survivor. Here is my promise to you as the person who leads our small group ministry: I am here. I am offering support to small group leaders and members alike. I am committed to cultivating health and longevity for our leaders and members alike. I am available to help you find a small group that fits with your needs and that would benefit from your presence in return. I am here to train, check in on, and resource our small group hosts in any way they need. If you're interested in learning more, please join me for dinner at my house on September 18th. RSVP to andie@ubcwaco.org or sign up on the table in the lobby.
EMBRACE BEAUTY FUND
As we’ve navigated changes and created a new vision for Ubc, we have found that we have an increasing need for meeting our budget goals. Would you consider establishing a recurring donation to our community? Recurring donations allow us to have a sense of how much money we are working with each month, which as you might imagine is extremely helpful in budgeting. We are of course open to one-time donations as well :). Please feel free to share with your friends, loved ones and social media as we work together to meet this need.
You can donate and read more about the giving campaign here.
THIS WEEK
Youth Group- Wednesday, 6pm
Coffee Hour w/ Nicole @ CG Franklin- Thursday, September 10th, 10am
College Meetup @ Waco Downtown Farmers Market- Saturday, September 12th, 9am
All Family Church- Sunday, September 13th
GIVING
UBC survives on the generosity of our congregation. Your tithes and offerings allow us to continue to create a space that is welcoming to all, embraces beauty, and seeks to live life to the fullest.
You can give, as you’re able, on Sunday mornings or set up a single or recurring online gift here.
If you ever have trouble with giving online or have a question about how to give, feel free to email administrator@ubcwaco.org.
CHURCH NEEDS
Pearsons in Need
Nickie and Darius’ son DJ has been hospitalized at McLane’s in Temple for a severe GI blockage which has caused some other severe problems too. They are treating him and hoping to turn a corner soon and that it will all resolve. Nickie is juggling caring for her daughter Sophia, missing work, and the anxiety that comes with a hospitalized child.
ubcYouth needs
Hey friends! Greer here! UBC's Youth Group has grown in recent months, and we are finding ourselves in need of more helping hands on Wednesday Youth Nights. The dream is to have two volunteers every Wednesday night to help with setup, discussion time, and cleanup afterwards. Youth Night ends at 8pm, so cleanup should be completed by 8:30pm if there are enough hands on deck! Eventually, we would also like to have volunteers facilitate a small group of students for more intentional discussion after lessons, but at this point, we need clean-up help and crowd assistance with the larger group of students. If you're interested, let me know, and we can set up a time to talk over next steps!
The Youth Ministry typically feeds about 25 students along with the volunteers every week, and this thrives with incredible volunteers that prepare meals. We are also looking for those who are willing and able to help continue making this happen for our kids that come into the church!
Interested in either or both of these opportunities to help? Fill out these forms or email greer@ubcwaco.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
Small Group Fall Launch- Friday, September 18th, 6pm
Nübcer’s Coffee Hour- Sunday, September 20th, 12pm
Pizza & Pints @ Shorty’s Woodway- Monday, September 21st, 5:30pm
Pinewood Pub w/ Andie- Thursday, September 24th, 7pm
The Book Club @ ubc- Monday, September 28th, 7pm
We are reading The Farewitch of FoxeHoller by Ellen Pauley Goff.
St. Francis Brunch Church!- Sunday, October 4th, 10:45am
Church is brunch! Brunch is church! Ubc will provide coffee, mimosas, and a bunch of scrambled eggs. Bring a dish to share! This is the feast day of St. Francis, so we’ll share a meal and participate in an adapted version of our annual St. Francis liturgy.
Ubc Pumpkin Patch Meetup @ Western Belle Farm- Sunday, October 4th, 12pm
Save the Date: All Church Retreat- October 9-11
All Church Retreat is happening this fall. We are headed back to Meridian State Park with GTG Outdoors October 9-11.
This retreat will be for the campers & the glampers. We’ve reserved some of the indoor shelters & the indoor dining hall! If tents aren’t your thing, you can choose one of these instead. GTG provides gear, meals and their expertise, and we get a fun fall camping trip together (and s’mores. Always s’mores!)
Keep an eye out for registration! And email nicole@ubcwaco.org if you have any questions.
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Text Updates Now Available
You can now receive text updates from ubc! If you haven’t already, please fill out this consent form (also, if you haven’t updated your email/phone with us in a while, probably a good idea to do anyway).
Find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!
COMMUNITY BOARD
PREACHING SCHEDULE
9/13- Andie
9/20- Annie Wilde
9/27- Andie
CONTACT INFO
Pastoral Staff
Andie Pellicer, Lead Pastor
(andie@ubcwaco.org)
Jameson McGregor, Worship & Arts Pastor (jamie@ubcwaco.org)
Nicole Dizdar, Kids Pastor, Community Engagement Coordinator
(nicole@ubcwaco.org)
Greer Rutt, Youth Pastor (greer@ubcwaco.org)
Leadership Team
Maggie Griffin
Adam Moore
Travis Cheatham
Mary Ellis
Brooke Reich
Staff Support Team
Jim Wren
Betsy Bracken
Finance Team
Brandon Glover
Jonathan Hill
Ben Rose