This page is usually updated Fridays.
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For guests and new members
• Wilshire Welcome is a one-hour session during Sunday School to help you learn about the church. No RSVP necessary. The next Wilshire Welcome will be held Jan. 11 at 9:45 a.m. in the Prayer Room near McIver Chapel.
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Try our weekly 9 a.m. contemplative service (will not meet Dec. 28) | Read more >
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Christmas Eve: Wednesday, Dec. 24
4 p.m. | Family-friendly service suitable for all ages.
11 p.m. | Liturgical service with Lord’s Supper.
No childcare for either service. Both services will livestream on our YouTube channel.
Youth Choir alums wanted for 11 p.m. Christmas Eve
Wilshire Youth Choir alumni of all ages are invited to sing with the current group for the 11 p.m. service on Christmas Eve. Come to Choral Hall at 10 for cider and treats followed by a rehearsal from 10:15 to 10:45. The group will sing one anthem and exit the loft early in the service.
Giving Tree update
Wilshire’s Giving Tree effort is complete, with all tags taken and fulfilled. Thanks to your participation, we collected 135 gifts, 104 of which will go to children of families helped by our own Rental and Utility Assistance Program. Gateway of Grace clients will receive 18 gifts, and 13 gift cards were given toward Wilshire’s benevolence ministry.
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Dec. 28: 11 a.m. worship only
There will be no Sunday School or 9 a.m. worship on Sunday, Dec. 28. Our only gathering will be for 11 a.m. worship in the Sanctuary.
Holiday closures
• The building will be closed and staff on vacation from Thursday, Dec. 25, through Thursday, Jan. 1. On Friday, Jan. 2, staff will return to work but the building will remain closed.
• If you have an urgent pastoral need over the break, contact Senior Pastor Timothy Peoples at 214-452-3171 or tpeoples@wilshirebc.org.
• The Columbarium will be open Christmas Eve, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 28, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m., returning to regular hours, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., on Friday, Jan. 2.
Year-end giving
• While the church office will be closed starting Dec. 25, checks can be dropped into the secure black mailbox accessible from the south parking lot. Checks in the mailbox will be retrieved in time to count as 2025 giving.
• Mailed checks must be postmarked by Dec. 31.
• Online gifts can be made before midnight on Dec. 31.
• Stock gifts must arrive in Wilshire’s Fidelity account by Dec. 30. Email Shaffon Alexander at salexander@wilshirebc.org for account information and to let her know about the gift.
Wednesdays on break
• Wednesday Night Live dinner and faith formation programming will resume Jan. 7 after a break for the holidays.
• The first Lunch & Learn of 2026 will be held Jan. 7. All are invited to Community Hall the first and third Wednesdays every month at 11:30 a.m. for a buffet lunch ($10) followed by Bible study.
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Debby Burton to be honored Jan. 4
Longtime Wilshire staff member Debby Burton retires this week and will be recognized next Sunday, Jan. 4, during the 11 a.m. service. After worship, a reception will be held for Debby in James Gallery. Debby worked 28 years at Wilshire, most of that time as executive assistant to the senior pastor, working with George Mason for 24 years and then with Timothy Peoples. In 2024 she scaled back to part-time and became assistant for Pathways to Ministry.
Author Meredith Miller here Jan. 11
Mark your calendars for Jan. 11, when Wilshire will host author, speaker and pastor Meredith Miller. Miller is the author of Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn’t Have to Heal From, and she has over 20 years of experience in children’s ministry and curriculum. On Jan. 11, Miller will lead a Sunday School session geared toward parents and participate in 11 a.m. worship. After worship all are welcome to hear more from Meredith, including a time of Q&A, over a free lunch in Community Hall. Register here.
Register for WOW retreat
Registration is open for Women of Wilshire’s 2026 retreat, set for Friday, Feb. 20, through Sunday, Feb. 22, at the Prothro Retreat Center at Lake Texoma. Get away and find community, encouragement and time with God through worship, art, learning and fun. Details and registration at wilshirebc.org/events/wow-retreat-2026.
Monthly service opportunities
• A Wilshire group serves the fourth Friday morning each month at the Vickery Meadow Youth Development Foundation’s Mobile Food Pantry. If you can help, contact Charlie Estee at cesteedallas@gmail.com.
• Cindy Estee coordinates volunteers to serve as food pantry assistants at the Wilkinson Center the third Tuesday each month from noon to 3:45 p.m. Contact Cindy at
cesteedallas@aol.com.
• A team of Wilshire volunteers serves lunch at The Stewpot on the second Thursday every month. Contact David Cossum at dc@cossum.com to join the team or learn more.
Family Day of Service with Rise Against Hunger
Join us Monday, Jan. 19, the MLK Day holiday, as we partner with Rise Against Hunger to pack healthy meals for those in need from 10 a.m. to noon in Community Hall. All ages are welcome. There are opportunities to serve while seated and opportunities for preschoolers and elementary age children to serve. A few volunteers are needed to help set up before and clean up after the event. All volunteers will need to register and complete a waiver at events.riseagainsthunger.org/wilshirebaptist2026.
Rental Assistance Program
Wilshire’s Rental and Utility Assistance Program will open for 2026 in late January. If you are interested in serving as an intake volunteer — whether you are new or returning — please let us know by completing our online form. Plan to join us for orientation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m. in Room 1205-L.
Jan. 10 Advocacy event
Immigration, religious freedom and reproductive justice are some of the topics to be covered at Advocacy for Action: Responding to the Texas Legislature, a workshop presented by Texas Impact on Saturday, Jan. 10. The event at Northaven United Methodist Church will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Learn more and register by Jan. 2 at northaven.org/events.
Annual Church Conference
Make plans to attend our annual church conference in Community Hall after 11 a.m. worship on Sunday, Jan. 18. We’ll adopt a budget, elect deacons and committees and hear updates about the church. Lunch will be provided.
Adventurers movie on Jan. 20
The Wilshire Adventurers will enjoy an afternoon movie on Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. in Community Hall. This free event includes popcorn, cookies, drinks and a screening of The River of No Return, starring Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum. Adventurers is a fellowship group for anyone 60 and up.
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Save the date for 75th anniversary
Wilshire will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2026, culminating with special events on Saturday, June 13, and Sunday, June 14. Planning is underway, and more information is coming soon about how you can get involved. For now, mark your calendars for next June 13 and 14, and plan your summer vacation so you don’t miss the festivities.
Women of Wilshire Book Clubs
• Tuesday Evening Book Club | Jan. 13 | 6:30 p.m. | Parlor | The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Contact Debby Burton.
• Brown Bag Book Club | Thursday, Jan. 8 | Noon | 1205-L | We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes. Contact Carolyn Murray.
Men’s Book Club
Jan. 20 | 7 p.m. | Parlor | Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez. Contact: Scott Spreier or Mike Meripolski
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.