Apr 28, 20226 min read

The Window: April 28th, 2022

The Pane: The End Is Where We Start From

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard,” wrote A.A. Milne in his wonderful classic Winnie-the-Pooh.

The last several weeks have been some of the most challenging days of my life. I hope it is no secret that I am quite fond of you all. Serving as your pastor, journey beside you as a sojourner and friend has filled me with so much joy and contentment.

UBC is an extraordinary faith community filled with a myriad of wonderfully interesting and gifted people. I have been blessed by your love and support for my family and me in countless ways. We have established rooted relationships that will last a lifetime.

As I wrote to you the week after you unanimously called me to be your pastor:

It is no small thing to step out in faith on a new journey of calling a pastor. Both parties do their best to get to know each other, our individual and collective dreams, and the matching of congregational and pastoral assets. But at the end of the day, it comes down to trust in each other and God.

We are stepping out onto a new adventure together. We will discover more about each other along the way. There will be laughter, growing pains, and powerful moments of God’s work along the way.

Reflecting on these words over four years and a global pandemic later, they could not feel truer today as they did then. We have journeyed together through some remarkably creative, complicated, and innovative paths, finding ourselves, hopefully, in a much healthier place than when we began.

I know that I am a much better person, follower of Jesus, pastor, husband, father, and friend because of you. You have shaped and formed me in incredibly wonderful ways that I have yet to realize. My prayer is that I have affected your lives in at least a fraction of the ways you have positively affected mine.

As the great T.S. Eliot wrote, “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.”

Monday, May 2, brings the beginning of a new chapter in the life, work, and legacy of University Baptist. I have a strong spiritual intuition that this next chapter will be astonishing as you continue to trust the leadership of God and faithfully give your best selves to the redeeming work of God through UBC.

And so, though we part ways, the journey together has been a humbling honor. I take our beginning and end as inspiration to start anew. My hope for you is the same.

My prayer is that you will turn to wonder as you forge ahead in faith, continue to put a premium on your relationships, embrace one another with grace and openness, wrap the UBC staff we extravagant love and support, and seek to find the joy in how God does marvelous things when our expectations are interrupted.

Thank you for the honor of serving as your senior pastor, the benefit of sojourning with you, and the joy of calling you, friends. Until we meet again on this incredible journey of faith...

Grace and Peace,

Andy Hale

Care Packages for Highland Elementary Staff:

Deadline Extended

We invite you to collaborate with our partners at Highland Elementary by providing care packages for the staff.

We invite you to sign up to provide a care package for one of these 37 staff members. The care package should include 5 small snack items such as chips, crackers, candy, nuts, cookies, and a small gift of your choosing. Please note - the bags are 7"x9 1/2 inches, so please purchase your items with this size in mind.

Once you have purchased the items, drop by the church office to fill one of the official package bags, and write a personal note to put on the finishing touch. The office will be open on Sundays 9-11:30 am and, Monday through Thursday, 9 am-4:30 pm.

We have extended making care packages until Sunday May 21st! And will be delivering the bags on May 2.

RELATIONSHIPS

Barnabas Project Partners

This is a change from the originally published May advertisement! Join us for our normal meeting this Sunday May 1st!

Are you in a Barnabas Projection connection? The Barnabas Project is an intergenerational connection between retirees and children with their families at UBC.

To start your Barnabas Project connection, reach out to Tanya, Minister of Children and Retirees, at 225-766-9474 or tanya@ubc-br.org.

Retirees' Luncheon

Our Monthly Retiree's Lunch will be May 11th at 11:30 at 5802 Moss Side Lane! Bring a salad or dessert of your choice and we'll provide the drinks and chicken!

Summer Gatherings Survey

UBC will host three Summer Gatherings on the second Sunday of every month in June, July, and August.

In the past, these events have centered on community and shared-interest activities. In planning, we want to know the types of activities that interest you. Please take a few moments to fill out this poll to give us helpful insight:

Summer Gathering Survey

H.O.P.E Grief Support Groups

The Hospice of Baton Rouge would like to invite you to their H.O.P.E Grief Support Group. This 6-Week support group will be held at UBC’s Heritage Room Thursday evenings from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. All groups are provided to the public at no charge.

You can log-on to our website at: https://hospicebr.org/bereavement for more information. To reserve your spot or you may also contact Christine Brasseaux at The Hospice of Baton Rouge at (225) 341-9703 or (225) 767-4673.

VOLUNTEERING

We Need Your Help as Our Church Grows

As out church continues to grow, we need your help. Consider volunteering for one of the above.

Join Us for Choir

The choir is back! We are currently rehearsing Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Music Suite. All are welcome. Previous experience not required. Safety precautions include masks and distancing. Join us! Contact justin@ubc-br.org for more information.

TBR: Making Baton Rouge a Better Place

Are you interested in making Baton Rouge a better place to live? If so there are currently 3 organizational meetings with TBR and community groups to start working on the following issues:

-Access to healthy food in North Baton Rouge,

-Policing and mental illness

-Education

If interested in making Baton Rouge better, contact Herb Bennett at Herbbennettbtr@gmail.com to get connected with one of these groups.

Thank you,

TBR: Faith, Community and Justice Connect Group

TBR: Improving Public Safety

Does crime in Baton Rouge concern you?

If so, Together Baton Rouge (TBR) is hosting meetings to discuss your thoughts on how to improve public safety. Come join UBC’s connect group called Faith, Community and Justice as we meet with members of other Baton Rouge Churches. These meetings to discuss public safety in person will be held on the following dates; May 5th, May 19th or May 26th at 5:30 pm. Also there will be a Zoom option on May 12th at 5:30. Locations for these meetings and further details will be shared in upcoming editions of the Window and Check It Out!

Make a difference and have your voice heard on one of these dates in May. Thank you.

TBR: Faith, Community and Justice Connect Group

MISSIONS

Ecuador Supplies Support

UBC’s Ecuador Mission Immersion is just months away.

We are beginning now to collect key hygiene and medical items for the trip. You can partner with us by dropping of the following items in marked bins in the Narthex and Office: toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, feminine products, pocket containers of lotion, bars of soap, Band Aids, individual alcohol wipes, nail filers, wash clothes, and gallon zip-lock bags.

Pick Up Your Kindness Bags

Over 300 Kindness Bags were made at the January 30th Missions Sunday. They are simple food and hygiene kits you can keep in your car to give to someone in need.

Pick up a bag at the office during the week or grab one in the Narthex on Sundays.