Tiffany Wright reception next Sunday. Join in a recognition and reception for Tiffany Wright, who is leaving her position as minister for care ministries, next Sunday, March 1. All are invited to thank Tiffany for her 20 years of service as she is recognized in both morning services and at a reception in James Gallery during the Sunday School hour.
Blood drive. Join us this Sunday, Feb. 23, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Community Hall for our first blood drive of 2020. No reservation is necessary; just show up and donate. Wilshire provides opportunities to perform this civic duty with quarterly blood drives conducted by Carter BloodCare. Being a blood donor is an act of Christian stewardship by giving of yourself to improve the lives of others. One pint of donated blood can save three lives. Donors must be at least 16 years of age, and there is no upper age limit. All donors for Carter BloodCare must bring a valid photo ID. Donors must weigh at least 110 pounds.
Solar and LED project. Wilshire has received a generous gift from an anonymous donor designated for a major energy-saving initiative. The Building and Grounds Committee has been at work for months now and has executed contracts that will lead to the installation of solar panels on all the flat roof surfaces of the property and the retrofitting of most lighting in the building with LED fixtures. Together, these projects will significantly reduce the church’s carbon footprint and energy expenses. The solar panel project will begin first, perhaps as early as April. Watch for updates as installation details become available.
Ash Wednesday this week. The Lenten season begins on Feb. 26 with Ash Wednesday. Three special worship opportunities will be offered that day. The Wednesday noon Bible study will be replaced with an Ash Wednesday service in Community Hall. That evening, an Ash Wednesday Vespers service will be offered in McIver Chapel at 6 and 7 p.m., with the 7 p.m. service being family-friendly.
Wednesday Lenten meditations. On Wednesdays, March 4 and 11, two tracks of Lenten meditations will be offered from 6 to 7 p.m., both drawn from this year’s Lenten theme: God Be in Us. Doug Haney will facilitate a session in McIver Chapel titled “God Be in Our Ears,” which will allow participants to use sacred choral music as a form of listening prayer. Leanna Coyle-Carr will facilitate a session in Room 1205-L titled “God Be in Our Hands,” which will offer participants a time of lectio divina Scripture read and to express prayers through free-form art. The same sessions will be offered both weeks.
George Gagliardi concert. George Gagliardi will present a free concert in Community Hall today, Feb. 23, at 6:30 p.m. The event will be titled “Just Me, Just Myself.” George explains it this way: “After lo these many years I’ve decided I wanted to do a solo concert, just me, just myself. In the past I’ve been fortunate enough to have great, talented friends help me out and I loved those concerts. However, this time around I wanted to go out there on my own, reminiscent of how I used to perform back in the dark ages when I played on college campuses and on the basement banquet circuit.” This concert will be a combo of old songs and new ones plus maybe a surprise or two. All are invited.
Contemplative retreat. “Creating Sacred Spaces” is the theme for this year’s contemplative retreat, organized by Wilshire members and others each spring. The dates are Friday, April 24, through Sunday, April 26. Registration deadline is Friday, April 8. Location is Arrowhead Camo, near Glen Rose. Brochures with full details are available in the church office or online at wilshirebc.org/registration. The structure for the retreat is intentionally open. The group will gather on Friday evening for a time of fellowship followed by a shared meal. Leadership for the weekend will be shared by laity. Saturday will be spent in intentional quietness, with optional experiences available including guided prayer, creative expression, yoga, praying Scripture, and prayer for personal healing and restoration.
Housing stabilization program . Anyone interested in joining a new missions initiative on housing stabilization for the homeless is invited to a training session on Monday, April 6, from 6 to 7 p.m. This will be led by Wilshire mission partner Austin Street Center as part of a nationwide pilot program to utilize volunteers to phone individuals recently housed through Austin Street. Each year the center houses nearly 400 individuals, but as an organization they do not have the capacity to remain in contact. Volunteers will call and run through a simple survey with individuals to make sure any housing concerns are brought to the immediate attention of a case manager. Volunteers will be asked to make at least 10 calls a week, which takes about an hour of time and may be done from anywhere. For more information, contact Heather Mustain at hmustain@wilshirebc.org or (214) 452-3110.
Wilshire Welcome Class. Guests and prospective members are invited to get to know Wilshire through a rotating series of classes offered on Sunday mornings at 9:40 a.m. March 1: Wilshire Tour. Hear the history of our church while touring the building. Meet at the entrance to McIver Chapel. March 8: Worship and Learn: Learn how and why we structure our worship services the way we do, and hear about other Bible study opportunities on Sunday mornings and during the week. Meet in the McIver Chapel hallway. March 15: Meet and Greet. Join us for a casual reception with coffee and breakfast while visiting with some of our members and other guests in James Gallery. March 22: Serve, Care and Give. Hear about our mission partners and ways Wilshire serves and gives to the community and beyond. Meet in McIver Chapel hallway. March 29:Coffee and Conversation. An informal hour with Senior Pastor George Mason. Meet in the pastor’s study on the second floor.
Churchwide service days. Join Wilshire’s Missions Committee this year for several churchwide Saturday service days. The first will be held the morning of Saturday, May 30. These days will offer opportunities to get to know others from the church as well as be exposed to the work of our local missions partners. Details for the May 30 opportunity will be published next month.
Pantry volunteers needed. Two of Wilshire’s missions partners, CitySquare and Wilkinson Center, need volunteers to serve in their food pantries. This would be a four-hour commitment during a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday morning or Tuesday afternoon. If interested, contact Heather Mustain at hmustain@wilshirebc.org or (214) 452-3110.
Room in the Inn. Volunteers are still needed for both the Feb. 28-29 and March 27-28 Room in the Inn. This is Wilshire’s mission project to provide housing and interaction for homeless women. To learn more or to sign up, visit wilshirebc.org/registration.
Koinonia Café: Feb. 26 — Roast turkey with cranberries, pork chops, cornbread dressing, roasted potatoes, okra with tomatoes and bacon, grilled cauliflower and broccoli, salad bar, dessert bar.
WOW! Tuesday Evening Book Club. The Women of Wilshire Tuesday Evening Book Club meets monthly at 7 p.m. in the Parlor. Upcoming date and book title is: March 24, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson.
Beginnings Class for newly & nearly married. The Beginnings Class for newly and nearly married couples will be offered on six Sunday mornings beginning March 1. The class meets during the Sunday School hour, from 9:40 to 10:45 a.m. It is open to all couples making life commitments. Guest speakers and topics covered include family financial management with David Nabors, couple conflict resolution with Phill and Gloria Martin, spirituality in marriage by George Mason, the Five Love Languages by Ryan Wilson, and understanding issues with family of origin by Amy and Cory Anderson. The class is free but preregistration is preferred. Contact Darren DeMent at ddement@wilshirebc.org.
Internships available. Wilshire Children’s Ministry offers two paid summer internships available for 10 weeks during the summer of 2020, approximately May 22 through Aug. 2. Each internship will be about 20 hours per week plus a four-day overnight camp working with children in grades one through six. Each intern will work with the church staff and volunteers to coordinate various programs offered throughout the summer including Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and preteen camp. Most hours will be weekday mornings and Sunday mornings. Candidates should have completed at least one year of college and have experience working with children, as well as having a desire to explore the opportunity to serve in a ministry position. Inquire with Julie Girards, minister to children, at jgirards@wilshirebc.org or (214) 452-3104.
Perkins Summit for Faith and Learning. Wilshire members are invited to participate in the Perkins Seminary Summit for Faith and Learning March 26-28. This is a lay-friendly event with noted speakers from the Perkins Seminary faculty. Course options include “A Boundless God: The Spirit According to the Old Testament,” with Jack Levison; “How to Read the Bible According to the Early Church Fathers” with James Kang Hoon Lee; “Truth Telling in a Post-Truth World” with Stephen Long; “The Emperor’s New Clothes: How Mark’s Ironic Passion Story Reveals God’s Reign” with Wesley Allen; “How Do We Solve A Problem Like … Mary?” with Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner. Registration prices begin as low as $35. See the full schedule and register online via the link at wilshirebc.org/registration.
Eboo Patel at Shurden Lectures. Eboo Patel will be the featured speaker for the Shurden Lectures on Religious Liberty and Separation of Church and State, to be offered March 5 on the campus of SMU. The event is hosted by the Baptist House of Studies at Perkins School of Theology at SMU and co-sponsored by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. Patel is the founder and president of Interfaith Youth Core and a national leader in efforts to make interfaith cooperation a social norm. He will speak in the Great Hall in Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Hall, 5901 Bishop Blvd. The program begins at 11:30 a.m. with Patel speaking on “Religious Freedom and a Theology of Interfaith Cooperation.” A lunch will follow at noon with a conversation between Patel and George Mason. At 2 p.m., Patel will conclude the program with a talk on “Religious Freedom and Interfaith Leadership.” The event is free and open to the public but an RSVP is requested for lunch and to receive a parking pass. Find the link at wilshirebc.org/registration.
Brown Bag Book Club. Wilshire’s Brown Bag Book Club meets once a month on Thursdays at noon in Room 1205-L. Bring your own lunch and join the conversation about a great book. March 12, Still Life by Louise Penny; April 2, Call Your Daughter Home by Deb Spera; May 7, The New Girl by Daniel Silva; June 4, The Guardians by John Grisham.
Youth Choir auction and spaghetti luncheon. The annual Youth Choir Spaghetti Lunch and Silent Auction will be Sunday, March 1, in Community Hall from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This event helps fund the choir’s summer mission trip to Denver to sing, serve and sightsee.
The silent auction will include restaurant gift cards, musical tickets, voice lessons, math tutoring, home goods, jewelry and more. Also back this year is a seven-night stay in a beachfront condo on Grand Cayman’s Seven mile beach. Some of the Sign and Go Parties include JV’s Famous Fajita Party on the evening of May 2, a Dessert and Discussion with the pastoral residents during the afternoon of May 2; Baking with Collin and Judy on Saturday, May 31 (only 8 spots for this one) and a Louisiana Style Dinner at the DeMents on March 21.
If you would like to donate items or services to the silent auction, contact Carolyn Murray at cpmurray@sbcglobal.net. Suggestions include gift cards to local restaurants, new household items and event tickets. Also, professional services make great donation items. If you are a musician, tutor, photographer, baker, designer, accountant or have some other professional service to provide, consider donating a gift certificate of your time or service.
Road to Resurrection family Lenten experience. It will be Palm Sunday, April 5, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is a come-and-go event in Community Hall. Bring your family for a multi-sensory experience, traveling with others the path of Jesus during his last week on earth. This hour-long event is filled with Bible-time experiences that will engage participants of all ages (especially older preschoolers through middle elementary ages). We’ll create and wave palm branches, taste the Passover meal and visit the Garden of Gethsemane. A family-friendly lunch will be available for free starting at 11 a.m. The event itself is free. All are invited to lunch.
Volunteer opportunities are available for those willing to serve as greeters, travel guides, costumed characters, assistants or to help with decorating. Contact Julie Girards at jgirards@wilshirebc.org.
Faith in 3-D is March 6 and 7. “Lighting the Way,” Wilshire’s 2020 Faith in 3-D production, will be presented on Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7, at 7:30 p.m. in Community Hall.
In association with Climate Change Theatre Action, the evening will be anchored by 10 brief plays written by an array of international playwrights, interspersed with music and exposition. From wildly funny to deadly serious, the plays explore consequences and remedies concerning climate change, wildlife extinction and the devastation of natural resources.
Thirty-three Wilshire performers will combine their talents to present this theatrical event in 3-D: drama, dessert and dialogue.
The event is free and open to the public. Preschool child care will be provided on Friday, March 6.