Peoples era begins.
Timothy Peoples begins Sunday, Jan. 22, as Wilshire’s senior pastor, becoming the fifth person to hold the role in the church’s 71-year history. He will preach and lead a children’s moment in worship today and will begin work in the office tomorrow. Timothy preached at Wilshire in view of a call on Dec. 4 and was approved by the congregation in a 99% vote. The historic day marked the culmination of a search that began in early 2022 after George Mason, Wilshire’s senior pastor of 33 years, announced his plans to retire from the role. Timothy, who is married to Valerie Lott, was a pastoral resident at Wilshire from 2015 to 2017 and went on to serve as senior minister at Emerywood Baptist Church in High Point, North Carolina. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University School of Divinity and is set to complete a doctorate this spring from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology.
Dialogue with Timothy
Wednesday, Jan. 25 | 6 p.m. | Community Hall. Hear from Timothy in a town hall setting as part of Wednesday Night Live. Koinonia Café service starts at 5 p.m.
Lunch & Learn
Wednesday, Feb. 1 | 11:30 a.m. | Community Hall. Timothy will speak at the February edition of this monthly event. Lunch costs $10 per person. No reservation needed. Open to all.
Sunday School visits
Timothy will visit Sunday School classes across the age spectrum during the coming months. Associate Pastor Darren DeMent is working with class directors on a schedule.
Installation service
Mark your calendars for a special installation service for Timothy, to be held during morning worship on Sunday, Feb. 26.
Annual Church Conference: Sunday, Jan. 22 after worship
Head down to Community Hall today after worship for our Annual Church Conference. We’ll adopt
a budget for 2023, elect deacons and committees and hear a word from Senior Pastor Timothy Peoples on his first day. Lunch will be provided. Zoom is available, but only those present in person will be able to participate in voting. Find the Zoom information and a PDF of materials at wilshirebc.org/conference.
2023 budget
The Finance Committee will present its recommendation for the church’s 2023 Unified Budget at the Jan. 22 Annual Church Conference. The proposed total is $3,850,000. Director of Finance Lori Gooden said, “While we lowered the overall budget from 2022, we have carefully considered every expense and made adjustments to account for rising utility, food and insurance costs.”
New deacons recommended
The Deacon Nominating Committee has nominated five Wilshire members to be ordained as new deacons: Andy Brookshire, Ivan Martinez, Katie Murray, Kristi Reavis and Colman Vigil. Ten deacons were nominated to return to active service: Gail Brookshire, Kile Brown, Pat Cullum, Joannah DeMent, Ed Francis, Linda Francis, Jill Granberry, LeAnn Hampton, Anna Hines and Collin Yarbrough. One Wilshire member ordained elsewhere, Steven Hallman, was nominated to serve as a deacon at Wilshire for the first time. Nominations will be voted on at the church conference on Jan. 22, and new deacons will be ordained during worship on Jan. 29.
New deacon officers
Wilshire’s deacon body has elected new officers for 2023. Gladys Kolenovsky will serve as chair, Paula Woodbury will be chair-elect and Dennis Smith will serve as vice-chair.
Piano Affinity Group
Wilshire’s Piano Affinity Group, which gives pianists the opportunity to perform for their peers in a relaxed, encouraging setting, will meet Sunday, Jan. 22, at 4 p.m. in McIver Chapel. Participants are invited to play a classical piece or hymn arrangement. To learn more, contact Max Tucker at 214-215-3766.
Adventurers movie afternoon
The Wilshire Adventurers will enjoy an afternoon at the movies on Monday, Jan. 23, at 1 p.m. in Community Hall. The 1999 comedy- drama Tea with Mussolini will be shown. A $5 charge covers popcorn, cookies and drinks. No reservation needed; pay at the door.
Digital safety for grades 4 – 6
A five-week Sunday School series called Brain Defense will help kids in grades 4 through 6 learn to use technology in positive ways. Wilshire member Dawn Hallman will teach the series from Jan. 22 to Feb. 19. Topics include self-discipline with screen time, avoiding online predators and bullies, and good digital citizenship.
Wednesday Night Live, Jan. 25
Koinonia Café
5 – 6 p.m. | Community Hall | Buffet-style dinner for the whole family. See pricing and details at wilshirebc.org/wednesdays.
Music, Missions & More
6 – 7 p.m. | Age 3 – Pre-K | Fun activities and lessons focused on God’s love.
KidConnect
6 – 7 p.m. | K – Grade 6 | This new children’s experience features a rotation of activities to help kids learn how to love God and others with every part of themselves. Each week is different. Activities include art, music, science, puppets and cooking.
Dialogue with Timothy on Jan. 25
6 p.m. | Community Hall | Stick around after Koinonia Cafe or come at 6 to hear from and engage with new Senior Pastor Timothy Peoples in an informal town hall setting.
Also on Wednesdays
- Watershed | Grades 7 – 12 | 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Youth Center
- Sanctuary Choir | 7 – 8:30 p.m. | Choral Hall | No audition necessary
- Global Missions Study. Coming Feb 1, 8 and 15: Ever wonder how Wilshire engages in global missions or how God is moving around the world? Hear three of our global missions partners share how they are seeing God transform communities as a result of our giving and partnerships.
Volunteer for homeless count
Housing Forward will conduct its 2023 Point in Time Count the night of Jan. 26 to take a census of our unhoused neighbors. Volunteers are needed; learn more at housingforward.pointintime.info. Orientation is provided, and forming a team with friends is encouraged. Jan. 22 is the deadline for signing up.
Brianna Childs to lead February Sunday School option
Pastoral Resident Brianna Childs will lead a limited Sunday School series, Faithful Women, on the four Sundays of February. Brianna says, “We will dive into the lives of some extraordinary women in history who changed Christianity as we know it. Though many have tried to erase their influence, their stories have persisted and are meant to be told for generations to come.” The class, which will meet in McIver Chapel, will be a good option for anyone not connected to a class or those new to Sunday School. Existing classes may attend to give their regular teachers a break.
Chronic illness support group
Wilshire’s support group for those experiencing a chronic or undiagnosed illness meets on Zoom the second and fourth Tuesdays every month at 6 p.m. To learn more, contact group leader Annette Miller at annette.a.miller@gmail.com.
Souper Bowl of Caring
Sunday, Feb. 5 after worship in Community Hall
Souper Bowl of Caring, Wilshire’s annual event benefiting the Phil Strickland Hunger Offering, will be held Sunday, Feb. 5, after worship. After two years of COVID-compromised takeout-only events, this year we will again gather around the Community Hall tables. We encourage you to donate an amount equal to what you would spend per person at a nice restaurant. Cash, check and credit cards will be accepted. The meal will feature these soups along with toppings and grilled cheese sandwiches:
■ Chicken Noodle (dairy free)
■ Tomato Basil (vegetarian
■ Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo (dairy free)
■ Chicken Tortilla (gluten free, dairy free)
■ Cheeseburger Soup
Soup takeout is available, but orders must be made online by Feb. 1. There will not be an option to order or request soup to go on the day of the event. To place a takeout order, find the link at wilshirebc.org/registration and order by Wednesday, Feb. 1. Orders may be picked up on Feb. 5 in James Gallery from 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you are unable to participate but wish to donate to the hunger offering, you may earmark your cash, check or online gift to Souper Bowl of Caring.
This year’s Phil Strickland World Hunger Offering will benefit Empowering the Masses, (empoweringthemasses.org) a local nonprofit with a mission of providing short-term training that will yield long-term results. Executive Director Tammy Johnson believes education + advocacy = empowerment. Empowering the Masses received a 2022 Missions Plus grant from Wilshire that provided scholarships to 10 students in their phlebotomy program. Each Saturday, Empowering the Masses serves 350 families at its food pantry located in the 75215 zip code. Our funds will help transition the existing pantry into a client-choice pantry and provide the opportunity to expand their services to include on-site health screenings. Specifically, our funds will purchase shelving, a refrigerator, blood pressure cuffs, an AED and other supplies to make this dream a reality. The connection between food and health is well documented, and we look forward to helping Empowering the Masses build capacity to meet the direct needs of their neighbors.
Merritt to keynote writing workshop at Baptist House
The Baptist House of Studies at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology is hosting a writing workshop Feb. 6 and 7. Sacred Speech: A Writing Workshop for Pastors, Prophets, and Poets is for anyone with a story to tell or an interest in how writing can connect us with each other and the divine. Writers Jonathan Merritt and Erin Lane will be the keynote speakers. More at https://bit.ly/3VbXjLt.
Greg Garrett to lead racial mythologies workshop Feb. 11
Baylor professor Greg Garrett will return to Wilshire on Saturday morning, Feb. 11, for a workshop called “Racism, Racial Mythologies and the White Church.” For more than 400 years white people have cultivated myths about people of color to create artificial hierarchies. This is America’s original sin of racism, and facing this sin is an essential component of repentance, moving us a step closer to reconciliation. In the Feb. 11 event, Dr. Garrett will help us recognize and acknowledge some of the most hateful racial myths and discuss with us how we might move forward to correct these narratives. Dr. Garrett is a longtime friend of Wilshire whose preaching and teaching has called us to continue our journey forward on issues of race and justice. His books include A Long, Long Way: Hollywood’s Unfinished Journey from Racism to Reconciliation.
Women of Wilshire book clubs
- The WOW! Tuesday Evening Book Club meets monthly at 6:30 p.m. in the Parlor. On Feb. 14, the group will discuss The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri. Contact: Debby Burton (dburton@wilshirebc.org)
- The WOW! Brown Bag Book Club meets one Thursday a month at noon in Room 1205-L. On Feb. 2, the group will discuss Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Contact: Carolyn Murray (cmurray@wilshirebc.org)
WOW: Women of Wilshire Mini-Retreat
Wise Bodies: Coming Home to Trusting and Loving Ourselves is the theme for the WOW mini-retreat on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Community Hall. $18. This is for all women. Pastoral Resident Brianna Childs will lead. Learn more and sign up at wilshirebc.org/registration.
Do Timothy and Valerie a favor: update your photo in Realm
Let’s update our profile pictures in Realm to help new Senior Pastor Timothy Peoples and his wife, Valerie Lott, learn names and faces.
- Open the Realm Connect app on your mobile device.
- Tap your picture or the empty icon next to your name. (If you don’t see your profile picture, choose More from the bottom menu to go to the next screen, then look in the top left corner.)
- Tap the pencil icon in the bottom right of the icon circle.
- Chose New Profile Photo and then select a photo from your phone’s camera roll. Tap Apply to set the photo.
- If you access Realm on a computer, click your name in the upper right corner, then choose Realm under My Profile Views. Click on your photo, then the pencil icon. You can then upload a photo from your computer.
- Need help? Contact Susan Kimball (skimball@wilshirebc.org) or Carolyn Murray (cmurray@wilshirebc.org).