Our History
Five families met during the summer of 1974 with a vision of a church. They stepped forward in faith even after receiving a mighty loss when Dr. Bill McGregor, the first pastor, and his family died in a plane crash in late December of '74 only three months after the church was constituted. In the words of Charles Pence, a charter member:
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This tragic event might have cratered some congregations, but UBC was and is God's church, not Bill McGregor's or the organizers. Not one member ever verbalized anything except gratitude for having the McGregors with us, though briefly; and plans for our next action were made. |
During the summer of 1975, the group's number increased by 150 persons; many decisions were made over the next two and one-half years while meeting in Whitcomb Elementary School. Plans were developed toward the purchase of land, an architect was hired, and a building committee was formed. In the summer of 1976 Dr. Henry Adrion III accepted the call to become the first full-time pastor of University Baptist Church, and George Archer, the "Minister of Everything Else," joined the staff in late summer, 1977.
Since UBC was a new, small congregation without a credit history, personal endorsements had to be signed by the members in order to receive financing. In case the church failed to come up with the payments the individual signers would be responsible. With great joy the first building was occupied and dedicated on December 4, 1977. It was too small immediately, so a second building program started promptly to extend the educational wing, enlarge the kitchen area, and create a fellowship hall.
From a Long-Range Planning Committee report of 1981:
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The plans presented herein represent the concentrated efforts of the Long-Range Planning Committee in an attempt to plan the near-term future of the University Baptist Church… The hope and prayer of the Long-Range Planning Committee is that in less than a year we will look back at what we considered to be an optimistic view of the future and say, "We under-shot the mark." With the dedicated support of the people of UBC and our continued adherence to the Great Commandment, these dreams will be fulfilled. |
Out of that Long-Range Planning Committee came a third Building Committee whose work would eventually result in the present sanctuary occupied on October 6, 1985. A three-story educational building was completed in the fall of 1996.
Time saw the departure of Dr. Adrion to work for the BGCT (1983), the calling of Dr. Robert Creech as Interim Pastor, and then the coming of Dr. David Slover (1984). After Dr. Slover left to join the faculty at Baylor University in 1986, Dr. Creech was an enthusiastic choice to return as pastor--everyone had so enjoyed the time he was here as interim. Dr. Creech began his ministry in April 1987 and celebrated his 20th anniversary in 2007.
The talents of many other staff members have also served UBC for over three decades; a number of those are still continuing to bless our community of faith in other roles and titles:
Charles Roberson, Associate Pastor in Education (August 1981)
Henry Newton, Minister to Students (1982)
Jeff Waldo, Minister to Students, (February 1990)
Currently: Associate Pastor for Discipleship
Zadabeth Uland part-time Minister of Childhood Education (July 1990, full-time in April 1991)
Barry Feriend, Associate Pastor in Worship, (July 1991)
Rick Carpenter, Associate Pastor in Pastoral Care (January 1993-Current)
Wayne Gerhardt, Minister of Childhood Education, (September 1995)
Matt Marsh, Associate Pastor in Worship (April 1996-Current)
Jerry Ball, Minister to Students (May 1997)
Randy Cox, Minister to Adults (August 1997)
Kelly Yeary, Director of Preschool Ministries (2002)
Beth Simpkins, Director of Children’s Ministries (2003)
Sterling Edwards, Director of Student Ministries (2003)
Ted Stecher, Director of Adult Ministries in (2003)
Carol Homan, Director of Women’s Ministries (2003-Current)
Jason Gadman, Associate Pastor, Family Ministries (2006-Current)
Kristin Wood, Director of Preschool Ministries ( 2006-Current)
Karen Murphy, Director of Children’s Ministries (2006-Current)
Kyle Wilson, Director of Student Ministries (2007-Current)
The UBC community has always been formed of a people who saw what needed to be done and moved towards doing it: sometimes stretched out of a comfort zone, sometimes balanced between faith and pragmatism but always in faith. UBC is a church that receives and sends members all over the globe, providing strength and hope for those who have been a part of this church life in the past and for those who will come in the future.
The current emphasis of Belonging, Preparing, Serving has a strong directive on the church being externally focused -- reaching outward to be the presence of Christ in a needy world. Some of the many ministries that reflect this outlook are:
NAVAHO MISSIONS, INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, WHITCOMB ELEMENTARY MINISTRIES, LIGHTHOUSE OF HOPE, DRIVING WITH CARE, MILITARY MINISTRY, WRITE WAY PRISON MINISTRY, CPC FELLOWSHIP, BAY AREA TURNING POINT, MEDICAL MISSIONS, PRACTICAL CARE MINISTRY, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, ANGEL TREE, ROSEMONT TEAM, THAI MINISTRIES, EMERALD POINT FELLOWSHIP, UKRAINE/KARDO MINISTRIES, BAPTIST MISSION CENTERS, BILL GLASS CHAMPIONS FOR LIFE PRISON MINISTRY
UBC’s plans are not unchanging blueprints but adapt to meet existing and future needs; however, the original commitment remains unchanged: to involve ourselves in a significant endeavor, to share the Christian pilgrimage together, to bring light into the darkness.
This is the mission--to be salt and light in our world. The words of the song chosen to be the theme of our 10th Anniversary Service on August 26, 1984, are still fitting:
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We will be Your church,
Your light and Your beacon,
Making Your vision our own.
We will be Your church,
To do what You've asked,
Committed to all You've begun. |