In-person Midweek Bible Study is Wed., April 14. All are invited to a new in-person Bible Study that will be held in the Sanctuary at noon every other Wednesday. The 30-minute experience will include Bible Study led by George Mason as well as prayer, Scripture and music — although there will not be congregational singing for now. Complete details can be found in this participant’s guide.
Sign-up required.
Refining Faith workshop will explore spiritual questions, Sundays, April 11 – May 16, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. on Zoom, Facilitator: Annette Miller. Do you have questions about life or God? Are you a spiritual seeker? Would you like a supportive community as you journey? Join Refining Faith, a new six-week workshop led by Wilshire member Annette Miller, to learn a critical thinking process of how to work through a spiritual question to develop a tentative answer. Annette is a writer, contributor to Wilshire’s Facebook blog and a consultant in behavioral assessment and leadership development. Register for Refining Faith at wilshirebc.org/registration. For more information, email Annette at annette.a.miller@gmail.com.
Heather Mustain begins sabbatical. Associate Pastor Heather Mustain will be on sabbatic leave starting April 11, returning to work on Monday, May 24. This sabbatical was originally slated for last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Heather looks forward to spending time outdoors and with family, both at home and at destinations including Santa Fe, Zion National Park and Sedona. In addition to rest and restoration, she plans to use the time to begin developing a curriculum on climate justice to be implemented churchwide by the Christian Advocacy Committee. While she’s out, Heather’s responsibilities will be covered by other staff members. Most notably, Associate Pastor Darren DeMent will cover for Heather in leading the COVID-19 Advisory Task Force.
Virtual Ramadan Dinner with Dialogue Institute Dallas • Monday, April 19, 7 p.m. Wilshire is co-hosting a virtual Ramadan dinner with Dialogue Institute of Dallas on Monday, April 19, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The holy month of Ramadan, which begins on April 12 this year, is a period of fasting and spiritual growth for more than 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide, and the Dialogue Institute has a two-decade-long tradition of celebrating this spiritual and charitable month at fast-breaking dinners with interfaith partners at various places of worship, including Wilshire. While the event can’t be held in person this year, we can still connect heart to heart, share friendship and make meaningful conversations online. A complimentary Ramadan dinner prepared by the Institute will be available for pick-up at Wilshire at 5 p.m. on the 19th, but this is optional; you are welcome to join the event without picking up a meal. Dialogue Institute Dallas (dialoguedallas.org) is a nonprofit organization that promotes mutual understanding, respect and cooperation among people of diverse faiths and cultures by creating opportunities for direct communication. Register for the Ramadan dinner via wilshirebc.org/registration.
Church in the Lot. Join us by registering onthis sign-up for Sunday, April 25, at 5 p.m. for the next Church in the Lot. This will occur outside in Wilshire’s north parking lot. Masks are required and social distancing will be observed. One spot on the sign-up is equal to up to four people. Bring your own chair or blanket or sign up to view/listen from your vehicle. Free. The date and signup for May 23 is here.
WOW! Spring Bible Study, Thursday mornings, April 22 – May 27 via Zoom, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Open to all women. In this wise, entertaining, and educational book, Amy-Jill Levine offers a fresh, timely reinterpretation of Jesus’ narratives. In Short Stories by Jesus, she analyzes these “problems with parables,” taking readers back in time to understand how their original Jewish audience understood them.
WOW! Garden Brunch (in person) Saturday, May 1, outside in Wilshire Prayer Garden, come and go from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Masks required. Chairs provided. Sign up by April 23. Open to all women of Wilshire.
Thank-you notes and privacy Wilshire’s deacons and Finance Committee will be sending thank-you notes in the near future to express gratitude for those who have given to the church this year. Rest assured that the amount you have given will always remain private. The note writers will will only know that you have given, not how much.
Wedding shower for Leigh Curl to be held April 24. All are invited to a drive-through wedding shower for Pastoral Resident Leigh Curl and her fiancé, Keith Dove. The shower will be held Saturday, April 24, from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the porte cochere (circular drive) on the south end of the building along Ravendale Lane. Guests are asked to wear a mask and stay in their vehicle. Leigh and Keith are planning a July wedding in Durham, N.C. You can view their gift registry
Sign up for advocacy emails. If you’re passionate about a particular advocacy area and would like to stay informed during the Texas legislative session and beyond, you can opt to get email updates from Wilshire. Ministry Assistant Abbey Adcox maintains email lists by issue and sends periodic updates and action items. Email aadcox@wilshirebc.org to be added to the lists you’re interested in, including: Anti-Racism; Criminal Justice; Climate Change; Domestic Violence; Foster Care; Human Trafficking; Hunger; Homelessness; Immigration/Refugees; Payday Lending; Public Education; Religious Freedom.
Book clubs
- The WOW! Brown Bag Book Club meets on Zoom one Thursday a month at noon. On May 6, the group will discuss Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House.. Contact Abbey Adcox at aadcox@wilshirebc.org or Carolyn Murray at cmurray@wilshirebc.org to sign up.
- The WOW! Tuesday Evening Book Club meets on Zoom monthly at 7 p.m. On April 13, the group will discuss Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. Contact Debby Burton at dburton@wilshirebc.org to sign up.
- The Anti-Racism Book Club will discuss So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo on Thursday, May 20, at 7 p.m. Register to receive the Zoom link at wilshirebc.org/registration.