Wilshire history book available. Blest Be the Tie, a hardcover book covering the history of Wilshire, is available free of charge. Copies can be found in high-traffic areas of the building, and you are free to take one if you don’t already have it. The book contains informative text and hundreds of photos covering Wilshire’s history from its 1951 founding until the 2011 publication of the book.
Wait list for Creative Arts Camp. Wilshire’s Creative Arts Camp for kindergarten through 6th grade is already at capacity enrollment, but you can get your child on a wait list by visiting wilshirebc.org/registration. The camp, led by Candy McComb and themed Listen to Your Art, is set for July 12 – 16 and will feature music, drama, dance, visual art, video production and more.
Wilshire Welcome Meet & Greet June 27 & July 25, 9:15 – 10:45 a.m. Are you a guest or new member? Maybe you joined during the pandemic and don’t yet have a full picture of everything this faith community has to offer. Mark your calendar for our Wilshire Welcome Meet & Greet events this summer. These informal sessions will help you learn about Wilshire, with topics ranging from Sunday morning options to volunteer and advocacy opportunities, plus a Q&A time with Senior Pastor George Mason. Join us June 27 or July 25 in Community Hall.
Advocacy Update: SNAP bill signed into law. A new Texas law will give certain vulnerable populations easier access to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beginning September 1. SB 224 was singed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 16. The law has several key provisions that will benefit senior adults and disabled persons: a shortened application form; a longer eligibility period; the ability to skip recertification interviews; and a program that will notify eligible Medicaid beneficiaries that they are eligible for SNAP. Wilshire’s Christian Advocacy Committee conducted letter-writing campaigns in support of the bill during the last two legislative sessions.
Baptist World Congress, July 7–10, 2021. The Baptist World Congress is a unique opportunity for Baptists worldwide to stand together across borders, languages, and ethnicities. The virtual event will include:
- Daily sessions with worship, fellowship, prayer, and spiritual challenge.
- Breakout sessions, including live Q&A, with recognized ministry experts.
- Virtual roundtables focused on worship, mission, aid, religious freedom and transformational leadership.
- An easy-access virtual platform with the ability to facilitate networking and community building by region or ministry focus
The Baptist World Congress is presented by the Baptist World Alliance, a global network of 47 million Baptists in 126 countries and territories.
Summer Keys. A concert of organ-piano duets, Sunday, July 11 ■ 6:30 p.m. ■ Sanctuary, Plus reception with free shaved ice Don’t miss Wilshire’s first live music event since returning to the building. Summer Keys: A Concert of Organ-Piano Duets will be held in the Sanctuary on Sunday, July 11, at 6:30 p.m. Associate Minister of Music and Organist Jeff Brummel will be joined for the concert by Jonathan K. Merritt, organist at Pulaski Heights Baptist Church in Little Rock, where former pastoral resident Matt Dodrill is pastor. Wilshire member Amy Pottkotter will also sing. Stick around after the concert for a social event on the church grounds. Get a free shaved-ice treat from the Big D Kona Ice food truck and enjoy a set of live music from Al and Brian — Wilshire’s own Brian Stinecipher and his musical partner Al Peterson.
Rangers game outing, August 1. Join us for a churchwide outing to the brand-new Globe Life Field to see our Texas Rangers play the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, August 1, at 1:35 p.m. We’ll leave Wilshire around 12:15 p.m. on a charter bus and return after the game. Our group seats are located in the Upper Box section. Don’t worry about a hat or sunscreen as this new state of the art venue is fully enclosed and air conditioned. Tickets cost $20 per person. Registration is coming soon.
Zoom class launches July 4. Love Your Neighbor is the name of a new Zoom-based Sunday School class launching July 4. The class is aimed primarily at long-distance Wilshire members, most of whom connected to the church during the pandemic. The new class will meet the first and third Sundays of every month from 1 to 2 p.m (central time). The time was chosen to accommodate those in different time zones, but will also allow for Dallas-based congregants to join in. Shelly and David Beck will serve as directors of the class. The Becks live in the Denton County city of Justin and joined Wilshire in 2020. Instead of having a regular teacher, Love Your Neighbor will bring in a guest speaker for each session. First up, on July 4, is Marv Knox, executive director of Fellowship Southwest and former editor of the Baptist Standard. Marv will have just returned from a trip to the southern border and will report on conditions in a discussion themed “Independence Day from the Immigrant Perspective.” If you’re interested in joining the class, on a regular basis or for a particular date, send an email to loveyourneighbor@wilshirebc.org to receive the Zoom link. Watch the Tapestry to learn about future speakers and topics.
Enroll for summer piano lessons. Wilshire’s Academy of Fine Arts is enrolling piano students for the summer. The cost is $40 per 30-minute lesson. To sign up, contact Jeff Brummel at jbrummel@wilshirebc.org.
Koinonia Cafe To Go Summer schedule change. Koinonia Café To Go currently has only one pickup time, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and those picking-up Koinonia Café To-Go meals will have the option to stay and eat with friends in James Gallery. When ordering, indicate your intention to dine on the premises. An opportunity to heat your meal will be provided. Find the menu and ordering link here.
Midweek Bible Study – Wednesdays at noon in the Sanctuary. Join us weekly for a time of announcements, prayer, music and Bible study in the Sanctuary. The event lasts about 45 minutes and is livestreamed on our YouTube channel and will remain on YouTube to be watched later. The current series on favorite Psalms will continue into the summer. It is no longer necessary to sign up or sit socially distanced. Midweek Bible Study will follow the same masking guidelines as those established for Sunday mornings in the building. NEW: Enjoy your Koinonia Café To Go lunch on-site in James Gallery after Midweek Bible Study.
Summer Sanctuary Choir welcomes new singers. If you’ve ever considered singing with Wilshire’s Sanctuary Choir, summer is a great time to give it a try. Summer Wednesday night rehearsals run through July 28, after which the choir will take a three-week summer break. Rehearsals start at 7 p.m. in Choral Hall and will be shorter than usual, ending at 8:15. The choir will sing in worship this summer each week at the 11 a.m. service only. Contact Doug Haney with questions.
Book clubs
- The WOW! Brown Bag Book Club meets on Zoom one Thursday a month at noon. On July 8, the group will discuss Graeme Simsion’s The Rosie Project. 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 July 13, I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening) by Beth Silvers and Sarah Stuart-Holland. Contact Debby Burton at dburton@wilshirebc.org to sign up.
Book club welcomes Collin Yarbrough on July 15. The Anti-Racism Book Club welcomes Wilshire’s own Collin Yarbrough to its next meeting for a discussion of his new book, Paved a Way: Infrastructure, Policy & Racism in an American City. The meeting will take place Thursday, July 15, at 7 p.m. on Zoom. In Paved a Way, Collin tells the stories of five neighborhoods in Dallas and how they were shaped by racism and economic oppression. North Dallas, Deep Ellum, Little Mexico, Tenth Street and Fair Park look nothing like they did during their prime, and Collin argues that their respective declines were intentional — that their foundations were chipped away over time. Sign up for the Zoom link and purchase the $20 book (while supplies last) at wilshirebc.org/registration.