What We Believe
DaySpring is a Baptist Church in the Contemplative Tradition.
DaySpring has an ecumenical spirit, a Baptist heritage, and a local identity.
DaySpring's Baptist identity is expressed through participation by members in every aspect of the life of the church. We do this through The Chart, renewed each fall and available on our website throughout the year.
Women and men participate in every aspect of the church's life: worship, teaching, preaching, and pastoral leadership. We are led by a five-member Coordinating Council, who guides congregational decision-making, which most often occurs in our Quarterly meetings through the year.
We support several ecumenical organizations locally and beyond. Our primary denominational partners are the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), and the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT).
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The Big ThreeThese are the teams that require the most people. If you are able please sign up for at least one of these ministries. Worship Care Helpers (100+!): Worship care helpers serve one Sunday per quarter from 10:40 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Once you’re on the rotation we ask that you stay on unless you opt out during chart sign ups. Since we offer worship care every Sunday, this “opt out” approach allows for minimum disruption in scheduling. Worship is central to our life together. Worship care helps our babies, toddlers, and preschoolers know church as a safe and loving place where they can wiggle and giggle. It’s an important ministry we offer to our youngest children and to their parents. It’s also a great way to know lots of DaySpringers as the majority of us take a turn. Cleaning Team (40+!): The cleaning ministry is an enduring participation in our commitment to take ownership of the gifts we share and offer to our guests. It is also a way to help on your own schedule and get to know other people. The more teams we can assemble, the less often teams are scheduled. Teams are scheduled on a rotating basis, and individual team members are assigned different areas of the church campus. Mowing Team (20+!): (1-2 hours about once/month) Mow, edge, and clear the sidewalks. The mowing team faithfully prepares the first impression most people have of our church and helps make the DaySpring grounds an inviting place of prayer and rest. DS provides the equipment.
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WORSHIP MinistryThose who participate in and lead in this ministry are responsible for the worship life of the church. Sanctuary Preparation for Liturgical Seasons (6-8): With the ministry staff, prepare our worship space for the changes of the seasons of the liturgical year. Learn the meaning of the church seasons and help the church’s worship engage the seasons. To prepare the sanctuary, plan to be available the weeks prior to the fourteen special liturgical seasons/Sundays we celebrate. Sound and Video Team (6-8): Help set up and operate sound and video support during worship. Streaming video is now an integral part of the DaySpring worship experience. We need three teams of 4 who will serve every third week. When we worship outside, we need twice as many people. Worship Arts (5): Work with the pastor in incorporating artistic expressions into worship. The Great Baptist Bakers (Communion Bread): On weeks when you’re able, bake bread for Sunday morning’s celebration of communion. You can bake as often or as irregularly as will work for you. Worship Guide Proofing (4) (<1 hour/ week): This team proofs worship guides before printing by responding to a weekly email from the church office with files attached. Offering (K - 6th grade): Children serve on a rotation of two children per week to take up the offering in the front half of the Sanctuary. Chiming of the Hour (4th - 6th grade, youth, or adults): Older children serve on a rotation with the youth. The bells are heavy and sometimes hard for younger children to ring. Therefore, we reserve chiming the hour for our 4th - 6th graders.
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HOSPITALITY & COMMUNITY MinistryThose who participate in and lead this ministry will extend our welcome to guests, help new members feel connected, and help us all grow in relationship with one another. Greeters/Ushers (15): Two greeters serve each Sunday and serve as the face and welcome of the church to members and guests. Ushers help with finding extra chairs and seats, especially for visitors on high-traffic Sundays (Aug-Sept, January, Easter). They also ring the gathering bell at the bell tower 5 minutes before worship and help tidy up the sanctuary after worship. Church-Wide Fellowship & Hospitality Team (8+): The church-wide fellowship team helps coordinate our church-wide meal gatherings such as “all-church breakfast,” Maundy Thursday dinner, Covenant Day meal, tamale supper, etc. This involves set-up and clean-up. One or two persons from this team function as the “keeper of the kitchen” helping keep the kitchen clean, organized, and up to date with supplies working with the office manager. Special Events (Advent, Easter, Pentecost, Fun on the Hill) (6): Alongside the Minister to Children and Families, plan and implement church-wide special events related to the liturgical calendar and other occasions. These events include but are not limited to Advent Wreath Making, Easter Egg Hunt, Pentecost Celebration, and Fun on the Hill Picnic and Waterslide. Gathered Table Coordinator(s) (1-2): Help coordinate Gathered Tables with the hosts Coordinators will facilitate sign-ups for groups and will communicate between group members and hosts.. Gathered Tables Hosts (10+): Gathered Tables hosts will host fellowship meals in their home during Gathered Table Weeks (2x in the fall, 2x in the spring). Homebound & Widowed Care (5-6): Extend hospitality with homebound and widowed members by visiting and calling them. Visitor Contact and Outreach: Contact and warmly welcome guests who sign the Guest Sign-In Sheet. New Parent Care: Encourage parents by checking in before and after the birth of a baby and creating a meal calendar once the baby is home. Ministers to the Staff: Encourage staff by celebrating milestones and checking in after major ministry events. Age-Group Fellowship Coordinators(20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, Really Somethings): Plan and organize regularly scheduled fellowships for designated age groups.
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MISSIONS MinistryThose who participate in and lead in this ministry help the church do God’s work in the community. Gospel Café Team (10): (2-3 hours a month) Gospel Cafe offers a free meal to anyone who needs it; it is located near downtown. This team helps make, serve and clean up a meal on the second Wednesday of the month from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm. Ridgecrest Worship Team (10): Help with our weekly worship services at Ridgecrest Retirement, held on the 2nd & 4th Sunday of each month (9:40 -10:35 am) as we build relationships and befriend our neighbors. Naomi House Ministry (15): General needs at the Naomi House might include: befriending our guests through picnics and game nights, joining English hour to help with English practice, helping with children’s Bible club, yard/house care and communications. No Spanish required. Greater Ebenezer Thanksgiving Baskets Liaisons (3): (5 hours of preparation in October and November) 3-4 people work alongside our friends at Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church developing the partnership with their Thanksgiving Basket project. This team also coordinates DaySpring’s efforts with this joint project. The team helps gather items with the congregation in November and compile baskets together the Sunday & Monday before Thanksgiving. Advent Mission Tree (2): Work with staff to prepare the mission tree during the Advent season. The Tree is a way we connect individuals in the congregation with our mission partners locally and around the world.
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SPIRITUAL FORMATION MinistryThose who participate in and lead this ministry will work to provide opportunities for learning and maturing in the Christian faith and practicing spiritual disciplines. New! Wednesday Intergenerational Formation Team (6): Instead of age group classes on Wednesday evenings, we are trying an all-church, intergenerational community formation this fall. Adults and children will meet together for 30 minutes for community building and prayer centered on scripture. Youth will continue to meet separately. ADULTS Retreat Leadership (Men, Women, Silent): (around 5 hours around the retreat event) DaySpring has long valued the importance of coming away to a quiet place to be with Christ. We try to organize a women’s retreat, a men’s retreat, and a Lenten silent retreat every year or so. Help organize, publicize, and administer these important times of retreat for our congregation. Spiritual Formation Group Leaders: Help facilitate a spiritual formation group that meets twice a month in homes. Groups focus on spiritual growth and developing community in consultation with the Associate Pastor for Community Life. Sunday Morning Adult Formation Team: Work with the Director of Adult Formation in planning and leading the Sunday morning adult formation class(es). Lectionary Breakfast Coordinator: (Friday 8-9 am, weekly email reminders) Assist with leading the lectionary discussion group each Friday morning. Young Adult-College Dinners (3): Host dinners in your home with young adults of college age in consultation with the Associate Pastor for Community Life. YOUTH Fall/Spring Sunday School Teachers (4): Sunday formation is a key aspect of DaySpring’s youth ministry. Sunday School leaders serve the youth by attending Sunday formation, teaching lessons, and leading discussions. Leaders help create a culture of inclusivity, curiosity, and connection with God and others. On Sundays, the youth divide into 2 groups with 2 leaders per each group. Summer Sunday School Teachers (4): Each summer, we aim to give our Fall/Spring teachers a break to rest and renew their commitment to teaching youth. Summer Formation typically lasts 8 Sundays and is a wonderful way to build relationships with the youth. We know folks travel in the summer and will work with you to find a substitute on the Sundays you’re unavailable. Wednesday Evening Leaders (4): Wednesday night youth gatherings are at the heart of our community’s life together each week. Wednesday night leaders help facilitate games, worship, lessons, and small groups. Substitute Teachers (4+): Substitute teachers allow our regular leaders to commit with the assurance that youth group will continue on if they get sick, take a trip, or just need a day off. Substitutes facilitate Sunday formation or youth group gatherings on Wednesday nights (6-7:30 pm) when they are needed and available. Host Homes (6): Host homes are expected to host our students for special events during the year, such as an overnight retreat, pool party, or meal. Host homes are expected to be clean and coordinate food with the Youth Minister. Ideally, host homes will only be asked to host once or twice a year. Winter Retreat Leaders (8): Our annual youth retreat happens at the beginning of the calendar year, usually falling on Presidents’ Weekend. We spend Friday night through church on Sunday together, staying at church members’ homes, meeting at DaySpring for worship, and doing various activities like ropes courses and scavenger hunts around Waco. We divide into 4 host homes, each with 2 leaders. Summer Camp Leaders (4+): Each summer, we take the youth group to camp for 4-5 days. We need at least 4 chaperones to accompany the Youth Minister to camp. Chaperones help the Youth Minister supervise the youth, play games and do activities with the youth, and help facilitate devotional times, worship, and small groups. This is an amazing opportunity to connect with and minister to our youth. CHILDREN Fall/Spring Sunday School Teachers (16): Sunday school is one of the primary ways DaySpring nurtures children in their growing faith in Jesus. We have several teachers who have taught for over 10 years giving testimony to how rich and rewarding it can be. The weekly commitment may feel intimidating, but it allows for the teachers' deep and lasting connections with the children and one another. We keep a list of willing substitutes who step in when you're absent. Each of our classrooms has two teachers: a storyteller and a doorkeeper. The roles look different in each classroom, but typically the storyteller prepares and tells the Bible story, guides reflection, and prays with the children before the feast (snack). The doorkeeper welcomes the children, assists with transitions and response time, and blesses the children upon dismissal. Summer Sunday School Teachers (12): Each summer we aim to give our Fall and Spring teachers a break to rest and renew their commitment to teaching children. Summer Formation typically lasts 8 Sundays and is a wonderful way to build relationships with the children. We know folks travel in the summer and will work with you to find a substitute on the Sundays you’re unavailable. Compassion Camp (8 adults): Alongside the Minister to Children and Families plan a summer formation opportunity for children. Summer formation is a great time to experiment with programs. If you’re gifted in music, recreation, decoration, or working with preschoolers, please indicate that on your sign-up form. If you have a multitude of gifts and simply want to pitch in wherever you can, please do. Passport Chaperones (2 women/2 men): Accompany campers and Minister to Children and Families to PassportKIDS camp in late July. Camp is for completed 3rd - 5th graders. Typically, chaperones are parents, but non-parents are welcome! It’s a bonding experience like no other.
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STEWARDSHIP MinistryThose who participate in and lead this ministry will give guidance and care for the church’s financial and physical resources. Cleaning Team Coordinators (2): Contact and schedule teams of volunteers to clean the church on a regular basis. Keep the stock of cleaning supplies dispersed and ask the office manager to order replacements. Work with Facility Stewardship Team for other projects that require hiring outside help. Facility Management Team (2-4): Coordinate with staff and team leaders to maintain our buildings and facilitate small repairs when necessary. Get quotes for work needed and meet with vendors when necessary. Check AED and water filter quarterly. Children’s Shed Organization (3): If you have the gift of organizing, we need you. Our children’s shed needs to be cleaned out and organized. Our Minister to Children and Families will support you by identifying needs but encourages you to work independently based on your availability. Chart Reimagining Team (3): The Chart has been central to our work and our worship as a community at DaySpring for quite some time. The Chart Reimagining Team will work together to consider how to balance holding on to the best of the chart and imagining ways to increase participation and impact. We need 3-4 people, who love to organize, consider logistics, and leverage talents, for this team. We will meet at least once per month with tasks in between in order to prepare The Chart for the church year in 2025-26. Offering Counting Team (8-12):(30-45 minutes after in person worship, ~2x/month) DaySpring members who are responsible for accurately counting and recording the weekly offering each week. A training session is held to familiarize the team with all the steps involved. Flower Beds (6-8): This group takes responsibility for the flower beds around the church buildings, sign, path to the baptistry, and baptistry. They promote the beauty of the church campus. Veggie Beds and Compost Crew (2-4): Help plant, tend, and harvest our vegetable beds. Opportunities to teach and learn gardening skills and to share the harvest on the DaySpring Community Table. Some on this team will work with compost for an hour once a month chopping and turning compost in the community compost bins. Help encourage the church’s participation in composting as integral to the cycles of creation. Weeds, Trees and, Trails (5-8): This group takes responsibility for weeding the playground and pathway, clearing trees and maintaining prayer trails on the church campus. They help create contemplative spaces for reflection, prayer, and play.