This page is usually updated Fridays.
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Wednesdays on summer break
Wednesday evening Koinonia Café and all faith formation programs are on break for the summer. Sanctuary Choir rehearsals continue at 7 p.m. in Choral Hall. Twice-monthly Lunch & Learn is also on break.
For guests and new members
• Wilshire Welcome is a one-hour session to help you learn about Wilshire. Held in the Prayer Room near McIver Chapel. Upcoming dates: June 15, Aug. 17.
• Time with Tim is your chance to meet and chat with Senior Pastor Timothy Peoples in an informal group session in his office. Upcoming dates: July 6, Sept. 14.
Unified Budget Update – as of May 31
YTD Budget: $1,633,337
YTD Income: $1,126,378 ($355,430 short of expenses)
YTD Expenses: $1,481,808
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Pathways Endowment YTD gifts: $12,099
Pathways Endowment May balance: $10,210,907
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Men’s Clothing Drive for PEP: shoes and belts needed most
Wilshire is conducting a Men’s Clothing Drive for mission partner Prison Entrepreneurship Program. Gently worn professional or business apparel is welcome — especially shoes and belts. Bring items to the collection tables in James Gallery and the South Atrium through Sunday, June 22. PEP (pep.org) seeks to reduce recidivism and increase economic opportunity for incarcerated individuals through entrepreneurship training and re-entry services.
Youth Choir on tour
Wilshire’s Youth Choir leaves June 14 for Chicago, where it will spend the week singing, serving and sightseeing. Keep the group of 47 singers, leaders and chaperones in your prayers. The choir will sing for worship today at La Salle Street Church. Other sites for singing or serving include Roseland Christian Ministries, Chicago Eco House and an assisted living center. The Wilshire group will take in a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, enjoy pizza at Gino’s East and visit the Field Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the John Hancock Center observation deck, Millennium Park, Grant Park and other attractions. Instead of presenting an evening “home concert” upon their return, the choir will sing several selections in Wilshire’s morning worship service on Sunday, June 22.
Drop-In Choir on June 29
Curious about singing in choir but not able to make a weekly commitment? Join the Summer Drop-In Choir on Sunday, June 29. We’ll meet in Choral Hall at 9 a.m. for a quick rehearsal, then go to Sunday School before singing in worship. No dress code, choir robes or prior rehearsal needed. Invite your friends, neighbors or favorite youth to join you. Contact Minister of Music Ariel Merivil with any questions.
World Impact Luncheon
Two of Wilshire’s global missions partners will share about their ministries at a special luncheon in Community Hall on Sunday, June 29. Join us after worship to hear from Jeff Lee, CBF field personnel serving in Macedonia, and Yusuph Emmanuel, founder and CEO of Twelve21 Global, a nonprofit focused on Tanzania. Lunch will be provided at no cost. RSVP is requested.
Deacon retreat was day for dreaming
On Saturday, May 17, Wilshire’s active deacons held their annual retreat in Community Hall, where they were led by Pathways to Ministry alum Chris Aho. A writer, preacher, independent consultant and coach based in Durham, North Carolina, Chris works with individuals, congregations and organizations to navigate faithful change through intentional design and spiritual imagination. He previously served as director of the Thriving Congregations Initiative of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. At the retreat, Chris led the deacons through an exercise called the Creative Hustle. In several small groups we identified challenges or areas of growth for Wilshire. We then identified the ripple effects of those challenges and explored possible next steps, improvements and unanticipated ripple effects of those steps. It was a wonderful day of brainstorming, exploration, thinking, discussion and dreaming. We are grateful to Chris for leading us and were moved by everyone’s ideas and their passion for those ideas and for Wilshire.
Transportation help needed
What would you do if you could no longer drive and missed going to church on Sunday morning? A few of our senior adults are now in that situation. At least one lives west of Central Expressway, while others live in Garland and Lake Highlands. We need volunteers who would be willing to provide transportation to Wilshire one Sunday a month, if not more often. We also need volunteers who can be available during the week to provide transportation to medical visits for those who cannot drive themselves. If you are interested in being of service to your fellow church members, please contact Parish Nurse Linda Garner at lgarner@wilshirebc.org or 214-452-3151.
Welcome, summer interns
Three Wilshire college students are serving internships at the church this summer.
• Audrey Pottkotter returns for a second summer as music ministry intern. She is a rising junior at Oklahoma City University, where she studies musical theater and vocal performance.
• Marco Campos, children’s ministry intern, is a rising junior at the University of Tennessee, where he is an anthropology major.
• Ana Ortegon is a rising sophomore at the University of Arkansas, where she studies biology. Ana will serve as preschool ministry intern.
Wilshire seeking finance director
Wilshire is now accepting applications for the role of director of finance. This full-time role will be responsible for overseeing and optimizing the day-to-day operations of the finance area, including strategic planning, budgeting, financial reporting and ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations. See the job description and application instructions at wilshirebc.org/employment.
Wilshire returning to Dallas Pride
Wilshire will again host a booth at Dallas Pride on Saturday, June 14. The event includes music, art, food, exhibits and more. Stop by and see us between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Fair Park’s Automobile Building.
WSM Youth Camp
June 30–July 5 | Register at wilshirebc.org/events/youth-camp-2025
It’s time to sign up for Wilshire Student Ministry’s best week of the year. The group will again travel to Ferncliff Camp near Little Rock, Arkansas, which provides great lodging, meeting space and recreation — hiking, nature trails, a swimming pool, lake activities, disc golf, sand volleyball and more. Mix in great adult leaders and good friends and you have everything you need for a fun, meaningful week. We’re excited to welcome back Jared Jaggers as camp pastor. Jared is a former Wilshire pastoral resident and intern now serving on staff at the American International Church in London.
Bus tour shines light on sex trafficking in Dallas
The Men’s Advocacy Group of nonprofit agency New Friends New Life offers a guided bus tour to raise awareness of the reality of sex trafficking in Dallas. The two-hour tour on Wednesday, July 9, at 11 a.m. is free, but donations are encouraged. Register at newfriendsnewlife.org/bustour. New Friends New Life restores and empowers trafficked and sexually exploited teen girls, women and their children and drives awareness of the issue and its prevalence.
Ways to serve this summer
There are lots of ways you can make a difference by serving with our amazing mission partners in the coming months. See opportunities>
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Summer 2025 — Children and Preschool
Save the dates for these Children’s and Preschool summer events. Registration is open>
• Cooking Camp | July 7–11 | 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Grades 1–5
• Listen to Your Art! | July 7–11 | 12:30–5 p.m. | Grades 1–5
• Full-day Cooking and Art available for grades 2–5
• Kindergarten & Preschool Camp | July 7–11 | 9 a.m.–noon | Older preschool–Kindergarten
• Passport Kids! Preteen Camp | July 20–23 | Overnight camp in Glen Rose, Texas for grades 3–5
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Men’s Book Club
The Men’s Book Club will discuss Timothy Egan’s A Fever in the Heartland on Tuesday, June 17, at 7 p.m. in the Parlor. The group meets the third Tuesday every month. Contact: Mike Meripolski or Scott Spreier.
Women of Wilshire
■ Tuesday Evening Book Club | July 8 | 6:30 p.m. | Parlor | Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory. Contact Debby Burton.
■ Brown Bag Book Club | July 3 | Noon | 1205-L | The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis. Contact Carolyn Murray.
Adam’s Baskets
Wilshire’s Adam’s Baskets ministry, created in memory of Adam Malcik upon his passing in 1987 by his parents Vy and Michael Malcik, provides members the opportunity to keep our food pantry stocked. Our small pantry meets immediate needs when a neighbor stops by for assistance. Wicker baskets are located around the church, and you can place nonperishable items into a basket at any time. Proteins, peanut butter and pop-top canned goods are most needed. Items are collected from the baskets on the second Sunday each month.
North elevator update
The Building, Interior and Grounds Committee has selected a vendor to replace the aging north elevator. Work should begin soon and will take approximately six months. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for your continued patience during this time.
Lori Gooden departing staff
Director of Finance Lori Gooden has resigned from her role at Wilshire to take a full-time position with nonprofit agency Fellowship Southwest. She will transition from Wilshire to her new position over the coming months and will help train her successor at the church. The Personnel Committee and staff leaders have already begun working on staffing plans for Wilshire’s finance office. Wilshire members should still contact Lori about all giving-related matters until further notice. Lori came to Wilshire as accounting manager in 2015 and became director of finance in 2021. “My time at Wilshire has been such a gift,” Lori said, “and I will be forever grateful to Mark Wingfield for giving me this extraordinary opportunity. I have been forever changed by the friendship of this amazing staff and the leadership I have had the privilege of working with. I will cherish the stories you shared with me, and I will miss those of you who would stop by to make my day. Thank you, Wilshire, for loving me and for the blessing of these last 10 years.” Senior Pastor Timothy Peoples said, “I am truly grateful for the ways Lori has shared her knowledge and gifts with Wilshire. We’ll miss her presence at the church, but with Fellowship Southwest being one of our strongest mission partners, we look forward to working with Lori in a new and different way.”
New role for Carole McClung
Carole McClung has been hired as Wilshire’s spiritual formation ministry assistant and will start in the role Monday, June 16. She had been working for Wilshire’s Early Childhood Learning Center as an administrative assistant and bookkeeper since January 2024. In her new position, Carole will support the educational ministries of the church across all age groups. She and her husband, Britt, joined Wilshire in 2011, and their daughters, Ava, Miriam and Ruby, have been active in Wilshire’s children’s and youth ministries.