By LeAnn Hampton
In 1983, I needed a change. The church where I was a member was filled with wonderful people, but I was ready for a different church experience. When I visited Wilshire, I remember two things that impressed me. First, the Sunday School class welcomed me and made me feel like I belonged even though I was not yet a member. And during worship, all the elements of the service — the Scripture passages, the music and the sermon — were carefully planned to help me focus on God’s love and constant presence. It didn’t take long for me to realize Wilshire was where I needed to be.
For the first few months, my goal was to avoid getting lost between my Sunday School classroom and the Sanctuary. Because I am directionally challenged, I learned one path and didn’t stray from it. I was busy making new friends in Sunday School and couldn’t imagine having time for anything else. That changed when one of those new friends found out I played the flute and invited me to a Wilshire Winds rehearsal. The group included people of all ages and stages of life, people who would never have become my friends if I hadn’t tried something new. Gradually my involvement in the life of Wilshire grew to include other activities and ministries, and my circle of friends expanded to include more people whose stories of life and faith inspired me.
Looking back, I realize my story is one of the many ways God uses Wilshire to build community. In our mission statement, we aspire “to build a community of faith shaped by the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” Our order of worship states our purpose for being together on Sunday morning — “We gather in community this morning to worship God.” As we worship together today, we’ll be led by different groups in our community who are involved in music ministry — Carillon Ringers, Children’s Choir, Sanctuary Choir, Wilshire Winds and Youth Choir.
Building community isn’t easy, and it takes time. Because our God is the giver of many types of gifts and talents, all of us are uniquely qualified and needed for our community of faith to become what God dreams we can be. Today, let us follow the directions of the Psalmist and “give thanks to the Lord” and then consider how God may be leading us into new areas of growth and service.