Faith in 3D: March 24 & 25
Wilshire actors ranging in age from 11 to 83 will present this year’s Faith in 3D show, a staged reading of selected scenes from Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Friday, March 24, and Saturday, March 25. The drama will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Community Hall, and afterward we’ll enjoy dessert and a discussion of the play’s themes moderated by Mark Wingfield. The Crucible is an account of the 17th-century Salem witch trials and was written in 1953 as an allegory to McCarthyism.
New to Wilshire?
■ The monthly Wilshire Welcome class helps guests and new members learn what Wilshire is all about. The next session will be held Sunday, March 19, at 9:45 a.m. in the Prayer Room (1100-B) near McIver Chapel.
■ Time with Tim is an informal chance for guests and new members to meet and visit with Senior Pastor Timothy Peoples. The next session is Sunday, April 30, at 9:45 a.m. in Community Hall.
■ Questions about these events? Contact Carolyn Murray at cmurray@wilshirebc.org.
Time to order Easter lilies
It’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 9. 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 2.
Wilshire authors sought
The Library Committee is compiling a list of Wilshire folks who have written books. If you’re an author, self-published or otherwise, email Librarian Barbara Peterson with “Author” in the subject line at bpeterson@wilshirebc.org. The committee is exploring the idea of a Wilshire Author Fair where writers could sell and sign their books.
CPR and AED classes
On Jan. 2, the NFL’s Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during a game and was given CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AED (automated external defibrillation). You may know these terms, and you may know that there are 10 AEDs at Wilshire, but do you really know what to do in an emergency? Parish Nurse Linda Garner is offering a class at three different times: Friday, March 17, Thursday, March 23, and Saturday, March 25, all from 9 a.m. to noon. A $25 per person charge covers supplies. Sign up for the date of your choosing at wilshirebc.org/registration; contact Linda at lgarner@wilshirebc.org.
■ Infant CPR class. On Saturday morning, March 18, Linda will offer a class geared toward parents, covering CPR and AED use on infants, children and adults. A $27 per person charge covers supplies. Register and pay at wilshirebc.org/registration.
Ramadan dinner set for April 3
Wilshire will host Dialogue Institute Dallas for an interfaith Ramadan dinner on Monday, April 3, at 7 p.m. in Community Hall. The event will help us learn from our Muslim neighbors as we break bread together in the holy month of Ramadan. The evening will begin with conversation and a presentation on Ramadan. Our friends will share a home-cooked meal with us at 7:45 p.m., when they break their fast. Please note that space is limited, and RSVP is required by March 16. The dinner is free. Wilshire will donate to Dialogue Institute for the event. When registering, you can make a small donation towards earthquake relief efforts in Turkey, or you can enter “0.00” for the donation to reserve your spot. To register, visit dialoguedallas.org/events and look for the April 3 Wilshire event.
Darren DeMent to be featured at April 5 Lunch & Learn
Associate Pastor Darren DeMent will be the featured guest at Lunch & Learn on April 5 at 11:30 a.m. Held in Community Hall the first Wednesday each month and open to all, Lunch & Learn features a meal, fellowship and a program. Lunch costs $10 per person. No reservation needed. Contact: Barbara Clayton (bclayton@wilshirebc.org)
Adventurers Charleston trip
From Nov. 6 to 11, the Wilshire Adventurers will travel to Charleston, South Carolina, for five nights and six days of touring in the “Holy City” led by Rob and Pam Banta. The group will see and experience antebellum homes and estates, Charleston cuisine, culture and architecture, a nighttime harbor cruise with dinner, a fine arts museum, Fort Sumter, Old City Market, Charleston Tea Garden and more, all accompanied by private guides. See full details at wilshirebc.org/registration or in a brochure available in the church office. The trip will accommodate a maximum of 50 participants and will require a minimum of 35. Registration is first-come, first-served. All are invited to hear about the trip in a meeting in McIver Chapel after worship on Sunday, March 26.
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 7:30 p.m. To learn more, contact group leader Annette Miller at annette.a.miller@gmail.com.
Women of Wilshire book clubs
■ The WOW! Tuesday Evening Book Club meets monthly at 6:30 p.m. in the Parlor. On March 14, the group will discuss Somewhere Sisters by Erika Hayasaki. 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 6, the group will discuss Ann May’s Jacqueline in Paris. Contact: Carolyn Murray (cmurray@wilshirebc.org)
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 or wrapped fun-size candy. 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 Wednesday, March 29. All ages are welcome as we fill the eggs and assemble weekend meal bags for Lipscomb Elementary at Called to Care on Wednesday, March 29, at 6 p.m. in James Gallery.
■ Baked goods. Sign up at wilshirebc.org/registration to provide baked goods for Gateway’s cake walk. Items should be packaged in clear wrapping or clear containers. Recommended items include one dozen cookies, brownies, bars, or cupcakes. No recipes containing gelatin or marshmallow, please. Items should be dropped off on Wednesday, April 5, on tables outside the church office.
If you loved One Starry Night, don’t miss Road to Resurrection
Sunday, April 2 | Noon – 2 p.m. | Community Hall
If you enjoyed One Starry Night or find it challenging to talk with the children in your life about Jesus’ death and resurrection, you’ll love Road to Resurrection! This Lenten experience for families will provide a way to discuss this difficult but important subject on their level. It will be relevant, informative and fun for all ages, even adults, so invite your family and friends. This hour-long event traces the journey Jesus took during the last week of his earthly life, and it is filled with Bible-time experiences to engage the senses — creating and waving palm branches, tasting the Passover meal, visiting the Garden of Gethsemane and more. A kid-friendly lunch will be available for $5 per person ($20 family max) in Community Hall after worship. Registered groups of 8 to 12 will be led to the first of six stations starting at noon, rotating every 15 minutes, with the last group starting at 1:30. Walk-ups are welcome, space permitting. Reserve your entry time at wilshirebc.org/registration.
■ Volunteers are needed as greeters, travel guides, costumed characters, assistants or to help with decorating. Contact Julie Girards (jgirards@wilshirebc.org) or visit wilshirebc.org/registration for a SignUpGenius link.
Seen. Known. Loved.
Lent 2023
Lenten Devotional guide
Join Wilshire as we journey toward Easter using Kate Bowler’s Bless the Lent we Actually Have, a devotional guide designed to go with Bowler’s book, The Lives We Actually Have. Download the guide at wilshirebc.org/lent or pick up a printed copy in the church office.
Lenten playlist
Wilshire has created an eclectic Lenten playlist on the streaming music service Spotify. The basic version of Spotify is free. Search for “seen. known. loved – Lent 2023” or find a link to the playlist at wilshirebc.org/lent.
Wednesdays: Say My Name: Names We Are Called By God
6 p.m. | Room 1205-L. When the world shouts with a million voices around us, we can count on the voice of God to call us by our true names. Join our pastoral residents as we discuss how to tune into that voice. Remaining dates are March 22 and April 5.
Maundy Thursday Service
April 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Sanctuary. One of the year’s most moving services, Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with the Apostles. In addition to Scripture readings and the Lord’s Supper, this year’s service will feature music from Nova, Shekinah, Carillon Ringers and string quartet.
Easter Sunday, April 9
■ Sunrise Service: 6:30 a.m. at White Rock Lake’s T.P. Hill.
■ Worship in the Sanctuary: 11 a.m.
■ Columbarium Service of Remembrance: 9:30 a.m. This brief service is geared toward those with a loved one inurned or memorialized in the Columbarium, which will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
■ Flowering Cross: Stop by Easter morning to place a flower into the mesh-wrapped wooden cross outside the Sanctuary. Bring your own fresh-cut flowers or take one from a limited supply provided by the church.
Art exhibit through April 19
Who Is My Neighbor? is the theme of a new art exhibit that will be on display through April 19 in Wilshire’s South Lobby. The show is a collection of etchings, lithographs, woodcuts and paintings that give visual insight into Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan. It includes the work of 22 artists from the last four centuries, including Rembrandt, Ernst Barlach, Tanja Butler, Ed Knippers and John August Swanson, plus political cartoons and illustrations that demonstrate the parable’s continued societal relevance.
Summer events for children and preschoolers
Registration is open at wilshirebc.org/summer-camps.
Vacation Bible School
June 12 – 16, 9 a.m. – noon,
Older preschool – Grade 6
Full Day: Cooking Camp & Creative Arts Camp
July 10 – 14, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Grades 2 – 6
Cooking Camp
July 10 – 14, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Grades 1 – 6
Listen to Your Art! Creative Arts Camp
July 10 – 14, 1 – 5:30 p.m., Grades 1 – 6
Passport Kids! Preteen Camp
July 22 – 25, Grades 3 – 6
Preschool Friends Camp
July 31 – Aug. 4, 9 a.m. – noon
New for completed kindergartners: Creation Station
July 31 – Aug. 4, 9 a.m. – noon