By Kelly Akins This morning, we gather to worship together and to honor our graduates. At Wilshire, we have some longstanding traditions, and one of those is that our Youth Choir sings Allen Pote’s setting of Psalm 139. This song teaches us that God knew us before we...
By Heather Mustain In every faith community, there are moments when life becomes overwhelming — when grief, illness, loss or loneliness casts long shadows. It is in these sacred spaces of pain and vulnerability that Stephen Ministry offers something deeply healing: a...
By Scott Spreier “I am going fishing!” Don’t you just love Peter? The disciples are still together in a post-resurrection tither, and Peter, the impetuous one, announces he’s going fishing. What better way to deal with what had just happened? I can relate. As a child,...
By LeAnn Hampton Today is the second Sunday of Easter. Last week’s Easter Sunday worship was an amazing time of great joy and excitement as we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. During the Sundays of Lent, our Wilshire Pre-K Sunday School class (4- and 5-year-olds)...
By Charlie Fuller You know the story. There’s a hidden video camera in place. One of our armed forces personnel who’s been overseas for extended service sneaks up on their loved one, usually at a public event. The last thing in the world their loved one expects is to...
By Charlie Fuller There’s an interesting tradition in the English Boy Choir Schools. These are schools where young boys receive their education along with singing in cathedral choirs. As you would expect, the rehearsing and performing are extensive. There are hardly...
By Charlie Fuller How much does the idea of sacrifice come into your thinking? We think of making sacrifices for our young children in order to both provide them a good life and prepare them for the same. We give of our time and energy caring for our aging parents so...
By Charlie Fuller Forgiveness might be the most difficult spiritual practice. It’s certainly one of the most important. Forgiveness is ultimately relational. It’s vital to our relationships with others and our relationship with ourselves. Forgiveness isn’t limited to...
By Charlie Fuller Wilshire people are the most voracious readers I’ve ever known. We have multiple book clubs, and books constantly come up in conversation. We are definitely a people who “live in our heads.” That said, in my experience it’s not often that the idea of...
By Charlie Fuller President Jimmy Carter was asked if God answers prayers. Carter said that God sometimes says, “Yes,” sometimes says, “No,” and sometimes says, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” President Carter was also asked specifically about his praying in the White...