What brought you to Wilshire?
In 1968, our dear friends Charlene and Bob Law picked up my then-husband Steve Holley and me on a Wednesday and brought us to dinner at Wilshire. I had known Charlene at Baylor University, and they knew we were looking for a church.
Who was the pastor when you joined?
Bruce McIver. We loved him from the very beginning. He and Lawanna were so warm and welcoming, and it did not take long for Wilshire to feel like home.
What ministries or staff members have impacted your life?
We have wonderful memories of Charlene and Bill James and their years of friendship and ministry. I value the impact of Bill James and Darren DeMent on our youth programs; our three children — and now seven of our grandchildren — have been involved in Wilshire’s youth programs, choirs and trips. I also remember when Kim and George Mason came. One memory that stands out is being in Bruce’s hospital room with Lawanna and George. I was working at Baylor Hospital at the time. We talked about the dream that would become Pathways to Ministry. It was an idea we believed in, and we did not wait long to help get it funded and underway. I am so grateful to have watched Pathways grow and to see the many lives it has touched. I have been especially grateful to worship alongside my longtime friend, Gladys Kolenovsky. I was thrilled when she joined Wilshire and when a friendship that had meant so much to me outside the church could become part of my Wilshire life as well.
What are some favorite memories?
Many of my favorite Wilshire memories are woven into our family’s milestones. Shannon, Megan and Stephen were all baptized at Wilshire, and both Shannon and Jimmy Nadalini and Megan and Trey Wilson were married here. It was especially meaningful when my parents, June and Bill Daves, joined, and we were able to have four generations in the pews.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
When Mike and I married, we began a tradition that continues today whenever we’re in town: we start with the 9 a.m. service at St. Michael and All Angels and then make our way to Wilshire for 11 a.m. worship. Both churches are important to us, and we feel fortunate to be part of both communities.