New online giving platform coming soon.
Wilshire’s online giving platform will have a new look and a friendlier, more modern user interface when the church transitions its member database from ACS/Access to a new system called Realm. The conversion is planned for the week of July 19. If you are already set up with online giving, you do not need to take any action. Your information should transfer seamlessly and securely to Realm, and recurring contributions will continue uninterrupted. When the transition is complete, you’ll receive an email inviting you to log in to the new system. With Realm, users will easily be able to:
- Review giving history.
- Make a new one-time gift.
- Set up a recurring donation.
- Look over year-to-date giving.
- Print or save contribution statements.
And Realm isn’t just about giving. While it primarily serves the administrative needs of our staff, it will also offer exciting opportunities for Wilshire members and groups to connect with the church and each other. For example, event registration will be greatly improved in Realm. Watch for more information about Realm as we roll out more features in the coming weeks and months. If you have questions, reach out to Director of Finance Lori Gooden at 214-452-3131 or lgooden@wilshirebc.org.
Online giving encouraged.
Wilshire’s financial office reports that, for unknown reasons, some contributions sent through the mail are not arriving at the church until several weeks after being postmarked. That’s just one more reason you are encouraged to set up secure online giving charged to a debit or credit card or as an automatic payment directly from your checking account (ACH). If you need help moving to an online payment, contact Lori Gooden at 214-452-3131 or lgooden@wilshirebc.org.
Zoom class launches July 4 with guest Marv Knox.
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, but anyone is welcome. 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. 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.
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.
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. NEW: Enjoy your Koinonia Café To Go lunch in James Gallery after Midweek Bible Study.
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.
ECLC reopening in August.
Did you know that Wilshire’s Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) has provided a quality preschool education for young children and has been part of Wilshire for over 40 years? After being closed for the last school year due to the pandemic, ECLC is reopening and will begin on August 16. We have openings for children from 3 months through Pre-K and would be glad to have your family as part of our program. Families from the community are welcome. Our program is available Monday through Thursday and runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. If you would like a tour, please call Kelly Akins at 214 452-3139 or email kakins@wilshirebc.org. For more information, visit wilshirebc.org/eclc.
Parenting & Peacemaking Course.
Starting July 7, join Wilshire missions partner Preemptive Love for a four-week online workshop geared toward families and cultivating a peacemaking posture in your home. Learn what it means to teach children how to create peace in our world today. The course will help you define peacemaking and the actions and position of peacemakers, bridge divides and hold others’ pain so we can truly heal together, integrate anti-prejudice and pro-dignity postures into the fabric of our families, and build community and trust. Visit preemptivelove.org/parent-workshops 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.
The WOW! Brown Bag Book Club meets one Thursday a month at noon in Room 1205-L. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Wilshire Welcome Meet & Greet Sunday, 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 on July 25 in Community Hall. This informal session 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. The Wilshire Welcome Class will begin meeting weekly during Sunday School this fall.
Do you have chronic low back pain?
You may be eligible for a free Baylor University clinical study examining the use of music and other audio recordings for reducing chronic low back pain in adults 50 or older. Wilshire Parish Nurse Linda Garner says, “Chronic low back pain is a very common problem and is often difficult to manage. I would encourage you to participate in this study if you qualify. It’s one way you can contribute not only to yourself but also to others.” There are no in-person sessions required and compensation is available. To find out more, contact Baylor at 254-296-0824 or mindbody@baylor.edu.
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.