Take-Home VBS, June 22 – 26. Who is My Neighbor? Learning to Love Like Jesus is the theme for our Take-Home Vacation Bible School, a free offering for kids age 3 through 6th grade. Take-home packets will include all the resources needed to do VBS on your own time. Links to video segments for grades 1 through 6 will be emailed daily. Optional activities will be held in Wilshire’s north parking lot for families in small groups. Social distancing will be practiced. Registered families will receive an email with details.Drive through and pick up your packet in the north parking lot at one of these times: Friday, June 19: 9:30–10:15 a.m. or 4:30–5:15 p.m. Sunday, June 21: 4:30–5:15 p.m. Packets may also be picked up in Sachse on Sunday, June 21, at 4:30 p.m. if that’s more convenient. Register now at wilshirebc.org/registration
Creative Arts Camp. Listen to Your Art is the theme for Wilshire’s Creative Arts Camp, a new summer offering for kids designed for 2020. The mostly-online experience, led by children’s choir coordinator Candy McComb, will be held the week of July 6 and is open to kids who have completed grades 1 through 6. In addition to online music-making, kids will participate in visual arts, movement, cooking, moviemaking, writing, magic and more. There will be a parking lot performance and other live events where social distancing will be practiced. The $30 cost per participant includes a T-shirt and art supplies. Supply bags can be picked up in the north parking lot on Wednesday, July 1, from 2 to 2:30 p.m. and 6 to 6:30 p.m. as well as Monday, July 6, from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Registration is open at wilshirebc.org/registration.
Good Neighbor Award. This week’s Good Neighbor Award goes to students Garrett Woodbury, Kathryn Woodbury and Sher Moo Ku in recognition of their service with the North Texas Food Bank and their hearts for justice. You can nominate someone for the Good Neighbor Award at wilshirebc.org/registration.
“This Is My Story” videos. Tune in each Wednesday for prayer, music and an interview with a Wilshire member. On June 17, Ryan Wilson will interview Brian Stinecipher. The weekly videos will be posted on YouTube, Facebook and the Wilshire website by noon, and the link will be sent in the midweek update email from George Mason.
The Cost of COVID Experience. Wilshire and First United Methodist Church of Dallas are joining for an online educational experience on Thursday, June 18, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The Cost of COVID Experience helps participants understand poverty, learn how to make the most impact and engage more with community needs. We will look at poverty through a racial equity lens and continue conversations on how the church can grow in antiracist witness and actions of justice. Register at wilshirebc.org/registration. If you are doing this as a family, please consider sharing a computer so you will only need one ticket. Registrants will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom call information. Questions? Contact Abbey Adcox.
The Women of Wilshire Tuesday evening book club now meets via Zoom one Tuesday each month at 7 p.m. Upcoming dates and books: June 16, The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan with discussion led by Marilyn Spaulding; July 14, The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes with discussion led by Barbara Peterson. To register, contact Debby Burton.
The WOW! Brown Bag Book Club now meets via Zoom the first Thursday of each month. Upcoming dates and books: July 2, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman; Aug. 6, The Tatooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. To register, contact Abbey Adcox or Carolyn Murray .
Wilshire library offers curbside pickup. Wilshire librarian Barbara Peterson is making it possible to check out books from the church library even while the building is closed. First, search the library’s online catalog by visiting wilshirebc.booksys.net/opac/wbc/#menuHome. This link is available in the library section of the Wilshire app and website. Email bpeterson@wilshirebc.org with “Book Requests” in the subject line and tell her what titles you wish to check out (limit 5). She will work out a safe plan to get the books to you via curbside pickup or delivery.
Student Ministry summer activities. Wilshire’ Student Ministry is active this summer in a variety of ways despite COVID-19 and the forced cancellation of choir tour and camp. Each Wednesday night from 6:30 to 8 p.m., students will gather in Wilshire’s north parking lot for socially-distanced activities and fellowship. In addition, all youth Sunday School classes are meeting via Zoom, Summer Family Groups have been created as a way of staying connected, and Darren DeMent or intern Jacob Leal are posting Monday morning devotionals on the WSM Instagram account. If you’re a parent of a youth but are not receiving emails about these activities, contact Carol Cabaniss.
Missions and Advocacy updates. Here are a few of the ways Wilshire has impacted the community over the last few weeks. We have provided funding for snacks and bottled water for staff at COVID-19 testing sites operated by Project Unity. We have served as host for the Mayor’s Milk Initiative distribution at Dan D. Rogers Elementary, serving up to 600 individuals each week. Chef Elizabeth Ferguson and the Wilshire kitchen staff are preparing 275 brown bag lunches each Wednesday during June to help Cornerstone Baptist Church address hunger in its neighborhood. We continue to work with Texas Impact and local faith communities to emphasize the importance of voting. Many of these projects are ongoing; contact Heather Mustain to find a place to serve.
Will you keep up the Friday Five? All Wilshire congregants are invited to continue in an easy pastoral care project called “Friday Five.” Every Friday, commit to contact at least five Wilshire friends in your circle of influence to see how they’re doing. Think first of those who are not your family or closest friends but who would love to hear from you.
Happy 69th birthday, Wilshire! On June 14, 1951, about 65 people gathered in a Lakewood home for the purpose of organizing a new church. The first public worship service was held in the Wilshire Theatre on June 24, and days later the name Wilshire Baptist Church was officially adopted.
George Mason’s Good God podcast has begun a 12-week summer series of re-released episodes featuring conversations on the subject of race. Episode 1, out now, features Byron Sanders, President and CEO of Big Thought, on racial inequities in Dallas and the ways in which we can help create a better Dallas for the next generation. Other guests in the series include Starsky Wilson, Brian Williams, Michael Waters, Richie Butler, Ron Kirk, Gary Simpson, Gerald Britt, Michael Sorrell, Tim Wise and Greg Garrett. Subscribe to Good God on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast platform and be notified when a new episode drops each week.