Masks strongly encouraged; on-site dining suspended
Given the rapid emergence of the highly contagious COVID-19 omicron variant, Wilshire is strongly encouraging everyone to wear a mask at all times while in the building, regardless of vaccination status. This applies to all activities — worship, Sunday School, meetings and rehearsals.Masks are required for those unvaccinated.
A section in the back of the Sanctuary will continue to be roped off for those wishing to practice a greater degree of social distancing.
Since eating and drinking require the lowering of masks, we are suspending Sunday morning service of coffee and other beverages and asking that congregants not bring in outside food or drinks. Additionally, we will not offer the “Family Dinner” component of Wednesday Night Live until further notice; Koinonia Café To Go meals will be for takeout only.
Our COVID-19 Advisory Task Force continues to monitor and evaluate local data and will revisit and adjust policies and protocols as needed. Thanks for your patience as we continue to try to keep every body safe.
Senior Pastor Transition
George Mason’s video announcing his retirement and information on how to nominate someone to the Search Committee can be found here.
Wednesday Night Live • Jan 12
Family Dinner on hold
Due to COVID concerns, until further notice we will not be offering Community Hall for on-site dining on Wednesday evenings. Please eat dinner, including Koinonia Café To Go orders, before coming to the church building.
Preschool and Children’s Music, Missions and More
6 – 7 p.m.
Fun, age-based activities and lessons for 3-year-olds through sixth graders, including music and missions-related topics.
Town Hall with George
6 – 7 p.m. • Community Hall
Begin the new year by attending a town-hall-style discussion with Senior Pastor George Mason.
Upcoming Wednesdays
ν Jan. 19 at 6 p.m.: Grant Halliburton Foundation presentation for K – 12 students and parents. See page 15 for more information. Note: No 6 p.m. programming other than the Grant Halliburton event. Parents, teachers and anyone interested in childhood or teen mental health are encouraged to attend.
ν Jan. 26 at 6 p.m.: Resident-Led Vespers in McIver Chapel.
Childcare for infants to 2-year-olds whose parents are involved in church activities is offered, 6 – 7 p.m.
Free session for K–12 students and parents on adolescent mental health
Wed., Jan. 19, 6 p.m. at Wilshire
Join us for this important presentation for all children, youth and parents. Grant Halliburton Foundation will present four concurrent age-based sessions on adolescent mental health and well-being. Participants will meet in four groups: K – grade 3; grades 4 – 6; grades 7 – 12; and parents. This event will take the place of regular Wednesday activities. For more information, contact Minister to Children Julie Girards at jgirards@wilshirebc.org.
For K–3 students
RISE: Change Your World! is an interactive presentation designed to help students reframe their thinking and behavior related to bullying.
For grades 4–6 and 7–12
#SAFE is an interactive presentation designed to educate young people about mental wellness and encourage them to speak up concerning their mental health.
For parents
You’ll learn to recognize signs of stress and depression, promote adolescent brain health and mental wellness, foster strong coping skills in youth and more. Parents, teachers and other adult influencers welcome.
Grant Halliburton Foundation is a Dallas-based nonprofit working to raise awareness and understanding of adolescent mental health and suicide prevention.
Church conference, Jan. 23
Plan to attend Wilshire’s annual church conference, to be held in the Sanctuary after the 11 a.m. service on Sunday, Jan. 23. The 2022 budget will be adopted, and deacons, committee members and the Pastor Search Committee will be elected. In keeping with our current COVID protocols we will not be providing lunch and therefore will try to keep the meeting as brief as possible. The option to join via Zoom will be available. More details to come.
Biblical overview starts today
Associate Pastor Darren DeMent will present an overview of the Bible in a four-week Sunday School series Jan. 9 through Jan. 30. The lessons will consider the who, what, when and where of the Bible, providing a refresher on the order of events, major figures, and how they relate to a broader historical timeline. This limited series will be a good option for anyone not connected to a class or for those new to the idea of Sunday School. Existing classes may choose to attend to give their regular teachers a four-week break. The class will meet in McIver Chapel at 10 a.m.
New here?
ν The monthly Wilshire Welcome Class helps guests and new members learn what Wilshire is all about. The class will meet Sunday, Jan. 16, at 10 a.m. in the Prayer Room (1100B).
ν Coffee and Conversation with Senior Pastor George Mason will be held Sunday, Jan. 23, at 10 a.m. This informal time in George’s study gives guests and new members a chance to ask questions about Wilshire.
ν Questions about these events? Contact Carolyn Murray at cmurray@wilshirebc.org.
Register by today for Friday’s Marriage Connections
Marriage Connections returns Friday night, Jan. 14, and the deadline to register for childcare is Sunday, Jan. 9. In this monthly event, free childcare (infants – grade 6) is provided at Wilshire while couples hear a presentation before having dinner out on their own. January’s speaker will be Wilshire member and pediatrician Rhonda Walton. The same childcare is available for Single Parents’ Night Out and Adoption/Foster Care Ministry Night Out. Register at wilshirebc.org/registration.
Sing with choir for Faith in 3D
You are invited to join with Sanctuary Choir to sing choral parts for the 2022 Faith in 3D video production, “To Whom It May Concern.” Parts will be rehearsed during the choir’s normal Wednesday night practice starting Jan. 12 and continuing weekly until the Faith in 3D video shoot on Saturday, Feb. 26. Songs for the musical will be rehearsed at the beginning of the 7 p.m. rehearsals so that participants may slip out before the choir moves on to other material. The video of Faith in 3D will premiere in Community Hall on Sunday, April 24, after worship. Questions? Contact Doug Haney at dhaney@wilshirebc.org.
Monthly lunch for seniors planned
Wilshire Adventurers will begin offering a lunchtime gathering with fellowship, a meal and a program the first Wednesday of every month in Community Hall. The first gathering is planned for Feb. 2, but only if COVID-19 conditions allow for the resumption of buffet-style meal service. Watch for updates.
Women’s Retreat deadline extended
Find community, encouragement and time with God at the 2022 Women’s Retreat. Pastoral Residents Ashley Robinson and Jenna Sullivan will serve as camp pastors. Registration has been extended to Monday, Jan. 24. Learn more and register at wilshirebc.org/registration.
Women of Wilshire book clubs
ν The WOW! Tuesday Evening Book Club meets in the Parlor monthly at 6:30 p.m. On Jan. 11, the group will discuss Patti Callahan’s Becoming Mrs. Lewis. Zoom available by request. Contact: Debby Burton (dburton@wilshirebc.org).
ν The WOW! Brown Bag Book Club meets one Thursday a month at noon in Room 1205-L.
On Jan. 13, the group will discuss The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. Contact: Abbey Adcox (aadcox@wilshirebc.org).
ECLC 2022-23 registration
It’s almost time to enroll for the 2022-23 school year at Wilshire’s Early Childhood Learning Center. Wilshire members will have the opportunity to register starting at 7 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 24. The registration form will be available ahead of time, but can’t be submitted until the 24th. Registration is on a first come, first served basis. Your “in-line” number is guaranteed until 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 25. If your non-refundable registration fee ($400) is not received in time, your submission will be placed at the back of the line and not counted until your check is received. If you have questions, please contact the ECLC office at 214-452-3115 or visit wilshirebc.org/eclc.
Valerie Kaur coming in February
Author, activist and faith leader Valerie Kaur will be in Dallas for two events presented by Faith Commons and co-sponsored by Wilshire. Kaur is the founder of the Revolutionary Love Project and the author of the 2020 book See No Stranger. She will deliver a lecture on Wednesday, Feb. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Moody Performance Hall. On Thursday, Feb. 3, Kaur will lead a workshop from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Paul Quinn College. For more information and ticket-buying links for both events, visit faithcommons.org.
Volunteer for homeless count
Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (mdhadallas.org) is inviting community members to volunteer the night of Jan. 25 at 5 p.m. for their annual Point in Time Count, an opportunity to count sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness. The annual count, a requirement under federal law, helps communities understand the extent of homelessness and changing trends and is an important reminder that everybody counts. Small groups of volunteers will be assigned to different census tracts to seek and survey those experiencing unsheltered homelessness. We would love to have a couple of teams from Wilshire serve. If you are interested in being on or even leading a team, contact Abbey Adcox at aadcox@wilshirebc.org.
Takeout meals continue
Meals from Wilshire’s kitchen will continue to be offered for curbside pickup on Wednesdays as we further evaluate the return of buffet-style meal service. Until further notice, on-site dining will no longer be offered on Wednesday evenings in Community Hall.
MLK Day
MLK Teach-In
George Mason will be a panelist for the fifth annual King Teach-In at Friendship-West Baptist Church on Saturday, Jan. 15, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Other speakers include Friendship-West pastor Freddie Haynes, Texas House Rep. Jasmine Crockett and activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham. Themed “Where Do We Go From Here: Democracy or Oligarchy?,” the teach-in will be livestreamed at friendshipwest.org as well as on Friendship-West’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.
Meal Packing Event postponed to Feb. 21
Due to COVID-19 concerns, the Meal Packing Event at Wilshire originally set for MLK Day, Jan. 17, has been rescheduled for Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 21. All ages are welcome as we partner with the nonprofit Rise Against Hunger to pack meals from 10 a.m. to noon, with time for pizza and socializing afterward. Volunteers are needed to register and assist with setup starting at 8:30 a.m. and cleanup after the event. Find the link to register or donate at wilshirebc.org/registration.
Town hall on racial equity
Wilshire will host a town hall meeting on the subject of racial equity on MLK Day, Monday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m. in Community Hall. Dallas City Council Member Casey Thomas is organizing the event, which will also be attended by Council Members Paula Blackmon, Gay Donnell Willis and Paul Ridley. The discussion, billed as a “Racial Equity Audit Report,” will focus on redressing racial inequities in Dallas housing and community development.
• Council Member Thomas will also be interviewed in worship on Jan. 16 to talk about his work promoting racial equity in Dallas through new housing policies. Thomas has represented District 3 on the council since 2015 and was elected to serve as mayor pro tem in 2018. He serves as chair of the Housing and Homeless Solutions Committee and vice-chair of the Workforce, Education and Equity Committee. He is a Dallas native and a graduate of Skyline High School and the University of North Texas.