The Pane: Freedom is an Empowering Call to Action
Unlike 2020, this year’s July Fourth celebrations will occur with a bit more normalcy. Backyard barbeques, sparklers, ice cream, water balloon fights, and fireworks will all be experienced with more appreciation in light of the pandemic.
For Jesus’ followers, the celebration of July Fourth comes with mixed emotions.
For one, we know that our freedom is first and foremost found in Christ alone. It is easy to swap the freedom found only in Jesus with temporal freedom that seems intoxicatingly more liberating.
We know that living in America is a blessing with the many rights and freedoms, but America does not supplant God’s Kingdom and the work of God’s church. And while it is easy to believe that God can become the mascot of one nation or political parties, we know that God is the God of all nations and peoples.
The Biblical word for freedom is eleutheria, which means liberation, especially from slavery. The freedom afforded to us through Jesus Christ is liberation from the countless forms of human sin and brokenness. We are invited to experience hope, joy, peace, joy, goodness, kindness, and love through God's grace.
Such freedom is not just intended for us to experience spiritually and personally, for it is an empowering call to action to be a part of redeeming God’s world.
Unlike the many expressions of freedom created by humankind, Jesus’ freedom is genuinely for all people, expressed best when he said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon to preach good news to the poor, recovery of sight for the blind, freedom for the prisoner, and to set the oppressed free.”
Freedom is an empowering call to action to give the impoverished realistic hope, a road to redemption for those shackled by the throws of addiction, truth to those blinded by their bigoted worldview, and freedom for those experiencing the many forms of oppression. So let us celebrate the freedom of Jesus, beckoning us to do the good work of seeing all experience it too.
Welcome Tanya Parks by Signing Up for a Care Week
We want you to be a part of welcoming the Parks family to South Louisiana with hospitality and care. You are invited to sign up for one of ten care weeks. This is an opportunity to bring a meal or care package to the Parks family. You are encouraged to approach this with your unique personality and giftedness.
Each week has two spots available to allow more members to share hospitality. Sign up for a care week by clicking on this link or calling the office: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e4da8a82aa5f85-care1.
Return of the Normal Sunday Schedule Set for June 20th
At the beginning of the pandemic, the Sunday School and Spiritual Formation start time changed to 9:15 am to allow for less time for excessive contact before worship.
On Sunday, June 20th, we will return to a 9:00 am start time for our Spiritual Formation and Sunday School groups and bring back the 10:00 am Coffee & Community time in the Heritage Room.
Sunday participants are encouraged to pick up a coffee and treat while utilizing the Heritage Room, Narthex, Sanctuary, and Courtyard for conversations during Coffee & Community.
Return of the Normal Sunday Schedule
At the beginning of the pandemic, the Sunday School and Spiritual Formation start time changed to 9:15 am to allow for less time for excessive contact before worship.
On Sunday, June 20th, we will return to a 9:00 am start time for our Spiritual Formation and Sunday School groups and bring back the 10:00 am Coffee & Community time in the Heritage Room.
Sunday participants are encouraged to pick up a coffee and treat while utilizing the Heritage Room, Narthex, Sanctuary, and Courtyard for conversations during Coffee & Community.
FORMATION
Noon Summer Book Club, Next Meeting is July 8th
Join our Noon Summer Book Club for a bi-weekly conversation about Jemar Tisby’s new book, “How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice,” continues on July 8th. Please read pages 107-140 before meeting.
The group will meet in-person and online in the Fellowship Hall on the Second and Fourth Thursday of June, July, and August.
Purchase the book on Amazon in digital, audio, and hardback editions.
For those joining via Zoom, use the Mtg ID: 314 698 8114.
Please contact Andy via email (andy@ubc-br.org) or phone (225.766.9474) if you plan to join.
Audacious Series Daily Prayer
This Week’s Prayer is one of: Consciousness
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking as Jesus did,
this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it;
trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.
Why Sunday School & Spiritual Formation Groups? A Weekly Dialogue
One of the successes we celebrate about UBC is the health of our Sunday School and Spiritual Formation Groups. We’d like to explore why.
Each week, we ask these groups to spend five minutes at the beginning of their meeting to discuss a provided question. Insight from the group’s discussion can be sent to Andy (andy@ubc-br.org) and Eric (eric@ubc-br.org).
July 4: No Discussion
We Need Your Help
As we step into this new normal, we need your help. Consider volunteering for one of the following:
Greet one Sunday per month before Sunday School or Worship: a 20-minute commitment once per month
Assist with children one Sunday per month: a 1.5-hour commitment once per month
Learn to run the worship cameras one Sunday per month: a 1-hour commitment once per month
Join the Care Team in creating a welcome environment on Sundays: a 1-hour commitment once per month
Help with childcare one Friday per month as we rebuild our young adult ministry: a 2.5-hour commitment once per month
Participate in an upcoming Gathering: a 2-hour commitment once per month
Teach toddlers or children once per month: a 1.5-hour commitment once per month
Invite a friend to join you for worship or at UBC event: a 10-minute commitment
Join the Retiree Team in creating opportunities for connections: a 1-hour commitment once per month
Join the Connect Group Team in creating like-interest opportunities: a 1-hour commitment once per month
To Get connected, please reach out to Andy at andy@ubc-br.org or 225-766-9474.
Help With Sunday Worship Stream Quality
Volunteers can help with many different aspects of the project including planning equipment, software, and workflow upgrades; equipment installation; running a camera; or just being part of a rotation that monitors the soundboard or keynote during worship on Sundays.
Prior experience in video production, live sound, or social media is welcome, but not required. We are willing to provide training, if needed. To volunteer, please contact Justin (justin@ubc-br.org).
Sunday School Classes Can Return to Regular Rooms
Many Sunday school classes have already returned to their regular rooms on campus. If you haven't, your regular room is available for you, with the following exceptions:
Lydia Class will meet in Room F107 in the Fellowship Hall
Happiness Class is currently in transition. Two classes you may want to check out are the Hope Class led by Renee Rodi (Room F110 in the Fellowship Hall) and the Lydia Class led by Dawn Ryan (Room F107 in the Fellowship Hall)
Please let us know if you have questions as we continue to adjust to our new normal!
RELATIONSHIPS
HOPE Grief Support Groups
Young Adults Night Out, July 16th, 5:30 PM
Join our Young Adults Night Out on the third Friday, 5:30-8:00 pm. This month, we will meet on July 16th.
The group will gather at a local restaurant for dining. Realizing not everyone can arrive by 5:30 pm, plan on joining the group as you are able. If you have kids, you can drop them off at the church, beginning at 5:15 pm, for dinner and activities for $10 for the first child and $5 for each additional child.
Please RSVP by Tuesday, July 13th here: https://form.jotform.com/211795585027160. The restaurant location will be texted to you.
Soccer Academy Early-Bird Registration Opens July 6th
We are excited to announce the return of UBC's Soccer Academy for six one-hour sessions in September and October for children ages three to ten years old.
Early Bird Registration opens on July 6 with savings through August 2nd.
The six-week academy begins on Saturday, September 18. The academy dates are September 18, 25, October 2, 9, 16, and 23.
Instead of trying to schedule your entire week around scattered soccer practices and games, especially if you have more than one kid playing, register your kid(s) for a series of 1-hour sessions on Saturdays for six weeks. Your child will learn the fundamentals of soccer through fun activities and a scrimmage at the end of each session, all in the comfort of one hour per Saturday for six weeks.
Summer Gathering & Kids Club, July 11
Join our first Summer Gathering and Kids Club on July 11th at 4:00 pm.
Kids, ages infant through 5th grade, will enjoy activities, crafts, games, lessons, and dinner. Drop off will occur at the Children’s Branch entrance. Register here by July 8th.
Adults can pick one of the following activities: art, beginners’ yoga, board games, or cooking. A dessert social will wrap up the event at 6:00 pm. Please sign up for one of the activities by clicking on this link or calling the office: https://www.ubc-br.org/post/sg-kids-club-july-11
The Summer Gatherings are intended to be a time to build stronger connections within and through UBC. We hope you will not only participate but invite others to join you.
Sunday Name Tag Project
Get to know new and unfamiliar faces on Sundays by picking up a name tag as you enter the worship space. The name tags will be in the Narthex center table. Write your name and answer each week’s conversation starter question.
YOUTH
Youth Summer Event Schedule
For more information, contact Eric at eric@ubc-br.org or visit www.ubc-br.org/youth
KIDS
CHURCH OF THE NATIONS
Worship via Facebook, YouTube, and Zoom
Join us for a live-streamed worship service at 10:30 a.m. via any of the following platforms:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ubcbr/
YouTube: http://bit.ly/ubcbryt
Zoom: Join Meeting ID: 923-023-246-4
password is: ubc
Return to Chapel for Worship
On Sunday July 11 at 10:30am, we will return to the Chapel for worship in-person! We will not have an online option, so we encourage you to come at 10:30am to worship with us! If you have not received the COVID-19 vaccine, we ask that you PLEASE wear a mask!
After worship at 11:45am, we will have a Fellowship Meal in the Fellowship Hall, with a box lunch for you from Jason's Deli. Please send an email to eric@ubc-br.org to register for your meal!
We are so looking forward to seeing you back in person!
GENERAL UPDATES
New Mask Policy
On May 14, Governor Edwards announced that Louisiana would fully adopt the CDC mask guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals. Those guidelines state that you are no longer required to wear a mask in indoor or outdoor public spaces if you have been vaccinated. If you have not been vaccinated, you are encouraged to continue to wear a mask to protect yourself and others.
Therefore, if you have been vaccinated, we would like to give you the option to choose whether you wear a mask when attending activities on UBC's campus.
For those working with children and for children under the age of eligibility for vaccinations, mask-wearing will be required.
We recognize that we are all in different places and will take a different timeline in removing masks in shared spaces. If you feel more comfortable continuing to wear a mask, please feel free to do so. We respect your choice.
Save The Dates
How To Give
GIVE: https://www.ubc-br.org/give
STAY CONNECTED DURING THE PANDEMIC
How to Live Stream Worship
To view Live Stream worship click on the links below:
YouTube: https://bit.ly/ubcbryt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ubcbr
