Pastor Search Committee Update:
Congregational survey available now, ends April 3
As shared with you earlier this month, one of our responsibilities in the search process is to represent Wilshire well to potential candidates, which includes stating clearly the vision and passions of the congregation. While we as a committee trust that we collectively have a strong sense of what identifies Wilshire, we want to validate our shared understanding and provide a channel for communication with the committee. This is not a re-visioning process, but an opportunity for us to take a clear picture of the congregation today to share with candidates.
To that end, we have launched the Every Body Speaks Congregational Survey. Every adult who is engaged at Wilshire (regardless of membership status) is invited to take the survey. Children and youth will be involved in age-appropriate sharing activities during Sunday School and the Youth Spring Retreat.
The survey should take about 20 minutes to complete. The link to the survey was emailed to the congregation on Friday in both a standalone email and in the Tapestry email. The survey can also be reached via the QR code on this page, and a hard copy version is available in the church office. The last day to complete/submit the survey online or return your hard copy version to the office is Sunday, April 3. Please note that your survey responses will remain anonymous.
We want to thank you in advance for taking the time to fill out the survey, and we look forward to hearing from you. – Pastor Search Committee pastorsearch@wilshirebc.org
*How to take the survey: Find the link in emails sent Friday, March 25, or pick up a hard copy in the church office.
Items needed for Gateway of Grace Easter egg hunt
We have two opportunities to support mission partner Gateway of Grace and their annual Easter egg hunt for the refugee families they serve.
- Plastic eggs and supplies. Sign up at wilshirebc.org/registration to provide fillable Easter eggs, wrapped fun-size candy or snack packs. No marshmallows or candy containing gelatin, please. Items may be dropped off in containers located outside the church office, north entrance, and second-floor education office suite by Sunday, April 3.
- Baked goods. Sign up at wilshirebc.org/registration to provide baked goods for Gateway’s cake walk. Items should be packaged in clear wrapping. Recommended items include one dozen cookies, half-dozen brownies and lemon bars. Items should be dropped off on Wednesday, April 13, on tables outside the church office.
All ages are welcome as we assemble the eggs and baskets for our First Wednesday: Called to Care event on April 6 at 6 p.m. in Community Hall.
New to Wilshire?
■ The monthly Wilshire Welcome Class, which helps guests and new members learn what Wilshire is all about, will meet Sunday, March 27, at 10 a.m. in the Prayer Room (1100B).
■ Coffee and Conversation with Senior Pastor George Mason will be held Sunday, April 24, at 10 a.m. This informal time in George’s study (Room 2203) gives guests and new members a chance to ask questions about Wilshire.
■ Questions about these events? Contact Carolyn Murray at cmurray@wilshirebc.org.
Time to order Easter lilies
t’s time to order Easter lilies to adorn the Sanctuary on Easter Sunday. Congregants are invited to provide the flowers in honor or in memory of beloved family members, friends or teachers. Dedications will be listed in the worship folder on Easter, April 17. Each plant costs $15, and orders can be made at wilshirebc.org/registration or in the church office. The deadline for inclusion in the listing is Palm Sunday, April 10.
Piano Affinity Group meets Sunday
Wilshire’s Piano Affinity Group will meet Sunday, March 27, at 4 p.m. in McIver Chapel. Participants are invited to perform a classical piece or hymn arrangement. To learn more about the group, contact Max Tucker at 214-215-3766.
“Jesus and John Wayne” author at Wilshire April 3
Kristin Du Mez, author of the New York Times bestseller “Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation,” will speak at Wilshire on Sunday, April 3, at 3 p.m. in the Sanctuary. The event will be presented by CitySquare and co-sponsored by Wilshire and Faith Commons. Du Mez is a professor of history and gender studies at Calvin University, and her research focuses on the intersection of gender, religion and politics. She has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Religion News Service, Christianity Today and NBC News. The event is free, but RSVP is requested; visit wilshirebc.org/registration.
Adventurers trip almost full
The Wilshire Adventurers will travel to Chicago, Grand Rapids and Mackinac Island on Sept. 1–8. The trip will begin with three nights in downtown Chicago, a river cruise, a lake cruise and history and arts tours. The group will then travel to Grand Rapids to see the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum and Meijer Gardens before heading to Mackinac Island for three nights. Find details at wilshirebc.org/registration or in a brochure available in the main office. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, with only 50 seats available.
Monthly lunch event for senior adults debuts April 6
April 6 is the date for the first-ever Wilshire Adventurers Lunch & Learn, a midday gathering with fellowship, a meal and a program in Community Hall. The event will be held the first Wednesday each month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Lunch will be served buffet-style at a cost of $10 per person, and the April program will feature Pastoral Residents Ashley Robinson and Jenna Sullivan. No reservation necessary. Future dates: May 4 with Associate Pastor Darren DeMent; June 1 with New Song Community Choir. Adventurers events are open to those age 60 and up. Questions? Contact Jessica Capps at jcapps@wilshirebc.org or 214-452-3129.
Auction items sought for Youth Choir Spaghetti Lunch
The annual Youth Choir Spaghetti Lunch and Silent Auction will be held Sunday, April 10, in Community Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event will help fund the choir’s summer mission trip to Denver to sing, serve and sightsee. If you’d like to donate items or services to the silent auction, contact Wendy Warden at wwarden@sbcglobal.net. Suggestions include gift cards to restaurants, new household items and event tickets. Professional services make great donation items; if you’re a musician, tutor, photographer, baker, designer, accountant or have some other service to provide, donate a gift certificate of your time or service.
Marriage Connections, April 8
Friday, April 8, is the date for the next Marriage Connections, and the deadline to register for childcare is Sunday, April 3. In this monthly event, free childcare (infants – grade 6) is provided at Wilshire while couples attend a program and then dine out on their own. April’s program will be “The Not So Newlywed Game.” The same childcare is available for Single Parents’ Night Out and Adoption/Foster Care Ministry Night Out. Register at wilshirebc.org/registration.
CBF General Assembly in Dallas
Registration is open for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s 2022 General Assembly, which will be held in Dallas June 28–30. CBF is Wilshire’s primary global partner for missions and ministry, and General Assembly is CBF’s annual gathering for learning, worship, inspiration and fellowship. Sessions will be held at the Hyatt Regency downtown. Learn more and register at cbf.net/general-assembly.
Children’s Ministry interns sought
Wilshire is offering two paid ($12/hr.) Children’s Ministry internships this summer. Internships will run May 23 to July 31 or May 31 to Aug. 7, and will entail 25 to 30 hours weekly plus a four-day overnight camp. Interns will work with church staff and volunteers on programs including Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Preteen Camp and special events. Most hours will be weekday mornings and Sunday mornings. Hours are flexible except for camp dates. Candidates should have completed at least one but preferably two or more years of college and have experience working with children and a desire to explore the opportunity to serve in a ministry position. To learn more, contact Minister to Children Julie Girards at jgirards@wilshirebc.org.
Support team set to welcome refugee family
Wilshire’s Refugee Support Team has completed training with Refugee Services of Texas and has been matched with a family of eight arriving in the Metroplex this coming week. The team, coordinated by Wilshire member Rachel Murphy, will walk alongside the family over the next three months as they begin to settle in the area. The team will assist with furnishing their living space, navigating grocery shopping, transportation, banking, school registration and other needs. If you’re interested in helping, contact Abbey Adcox at aadcox@wilshirebc.org.
CRT, Book Bans and Me, April 19
Join us Tuesday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m. in Community Hall for a panel discussion regarding recent conversations around Critical Race Theory, book bans and how our local school districts are being impacted. Confirmed panelists include Charlie Johnson of Pastors for Texas Children and Casey Boland, Lake Highlands High School history teacher.
Remembering Black Dallas tour
You are invited to participate with fellow Wilshire members on a bus tour highlighting local Black history on Saturday, May 14. This chartered bus tour, operated by the nonprofit Remembering Black Dallas, will explore the sites of several Freedman’s towns in the Dallas area, highlighting the importance of these settlements that were created by force during reconstruction. Participants will be led through a journey of how the landscape and racial divide came to be in Dallas County. Registration information and more details are coming soon.
Women of Wilshire book clubs
■ The WOW! Tuesday Evening Book Club meets in the Parlor monthly at 6:30 p.m. On April 12, the group will discuss Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library. Zoom option by request. Contact: Debby Burton (dburton@wilshirebc.org).
■ The WOW! Brown Bag Book Club meets one Thursday a month at noon in Room 1205-L. On April 7, the group will discuss Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. Contact: Abbey Adcox (aadcox@wilshirebc.org).
WOW! Let’s Take a Hike!
Join with Women of Wilshire as they spend time in nature exploring Dallas’ parks and hiking trails. Their first adventure will be Thursday, April 7, at 5:30 p.m. at the Oak Cliff Nature Preserve (2875 Pierce St.). Monica Mullins will coordinate this low-impact hike. Contact Monica with questions or to RSVP. Future dates: May 7, June 12.
Wednesday Night Live: March 30
Family Dinner is back!
5 p.m. • Community Hall. We are once again offering tables in Community Hall for on-site dining on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. Bring your own food or, better yet, order Koinonia Café To Go. Drinks and dessert will be provided by the church.
Music, Missions and More
6 p.m. • Weekly except the first Wednesday of each month. Fun, age-based activities and lessons for 3-year-olds through sixth graders, including music and missions-related topics.
Embracing Beauty with the Residents
6 p.m. • March 9, 23 & 30, April 13 • Parlor. Join Wilshire’s pastoral residents as they explore our Lenten theme using the paintings of van Gogh as inspiration.
Looking ahead
First Wednesday: Called to Care. The first Wednesday each month, all ages work together on a service project at 6 p.m. On April 6 we’ll fill plastic eggs and assemble baskets for Gateway of Grace’s Easter Egg Hunt. Plus we’ll make Easter trail mix bags for Austin Street Center. Our youngest hands can decorate trail mix boxes with stickers and color Easter pages for Austin Street clients.
Childcare is offered, 6–7 p.m., for infants to 2-year-olds whose parents are involved in church activities.
Embracing Beauty: Lent 2022
Devotional Guide
Join the Wilshire family as we journey toward Easter using Vincent van Gogh and the Beauty of Lent. In this new devotional, the words of Scripture and the paintings of van Gogh will be our guides, and each entry includes powerful practices to try on your own or with others. Download the guide as a PDF at wilshirebc.org/lent or pick up a printed copy from the church office. The PDF has links to online images of the referenced paintings.
Wednesday study: Embracing Beauty with the Residents
Wednesdays, March 9, 23 & 30, April 13 at 6 p.m. • Parlor. Join Wilshire’s pastoral residents as they help us prepare our hearts for Holy Week. In each session, a resident will facilitate a spiritual practice and conversation using the paintings of van Gogh as inspiration. Postcard-sized prints of the paintings will be available to take home for further reflection. The residents will also expand from the weekly written meditations available through the Vincent van Gogh and the Beauty of Lent devotional guide. We will expand our imagination and practice embracing God’s beauty in this season of repentance and reflection.
Spotify Playlist
Wilshire has created an eclectic Lenten playlist on the streaming music service Spotify. The basic version of Spotify is free to use, and you can find a link to the Wilshire playlist at wilshirebc.org/lent.
Churchwide outing to Immersive van Gogh Exhibit
As part of our Lenten exploration of Vincent van Gogh, Wilshire will take a group outing to the Immersive van Gogh Exhibit at Lighthouse ArtSpace on Saturday, April 16. This cutting-edge digital experience utilizes animation and large-scale projections of the artist’s work, and has been called a completely new way of encountering art. The cost is $43 per adult ticket, and a bus will depart from the church at 2 p.m. for a 3 p.m. entry to the exhibit, which takes 60 to 90 minutes to enjoy. Reserve your spot at wilshirebc.org/registration.
Holy Week videos
A brief devotional video will be released each day of Holy Week on Wilshire’s YouTube channel and social media platforms.
Maundy Thursday service
April 14, 7:30 p.m. • Sanctuary. Featuring Sanctuary Choir’s presentation of “The Seven Last Words” by John Michael Trotta.
Easter Sunday, April 17
■ Sunrise Service, 6:30 a.m., T.P. Hill at White Rock Lake.
■ Worship in the Sanctuary, 9 and 11 a.m.
■ Service of Remembrance in the Columbarium, 10 a.m.
■ The Flowering Cross. Stop by anytime Easter Sunday and place flowers in the wire-framed cross outside the Sanctuary near Abrams Road.