Tapestry. Come to Thanksgiving Dinner. Canned goods for White Rock Center of Hope. This Week at Wilshire

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1 This Week at Wilshire Tapestry Weekly newsletter of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas Building a community of faith shaped by the Spirit of Jesus Christ Volume 64 No. 46 u November 13, 2016 Come to Thanksgiving Dinner Wednesday is the final day to sign up for this year s Thanksgiving Dinner at Wilshire. The plan has been simplified in an effort to create more opportunity for unity and community. A single traditional dinner experience will be offered at 5 p.m. in Community Hall on Sunday, Nov. 20. The menu will be roasted turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green beans, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce, gravy and rolls with butter, pumpkin praline cake and pecan pie. The dinner will be followed by the traditional Thanksgiving worship service in the Sanctuary at 6:15 p.m. At that service, Wilshire Winds will play and Katie Murray and Heather Mustain will be the keynote speakers. Sign up for dinner in the front office. All ages are welcome. Canned goods for White Rock Center of Hope Grocery bags are available today for next week s collection of canned goods. Bring a grocery bag filled with requested items to restock the pantry at White Rock Center of Hope and to help area families with their Thanksgiving meals. Bring filled bags to the Sanctuary next Sunday, Nov. 20. One Dinner Seating Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Buffet In Community Hall 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 20 Tickets on sale in front office through Nov. 16 Today 8:30 a.m. Worship 9:40 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Worship 12:00 p.m. Sanctuary Choir officers Room 1205-H 12:00 p.m. Fun with Reading plan Room 1205-L 12:00 p.m. Personnel Committee Room 1205-G 12:00 p.m. Vision 20/20 Grow Team Room :30 p.m. Nova 3:00 p.m. Youth bells 4:00 p.m. Carillon Ringers 4:00 p.m. Youth Choir and Paradiso Choral Hall 5:30 p.m. Shekinah Monday, Nov :00 a.m. 42 Monday Room 1205-G 10:30 a.m. Fall prevention class Room :30 a.m. Cardiac support group Room 1205-L 2:00 p.m. Senior women exercise class Room :30 p.m. Mission Lab Room 1205-G 7:00 p.m. Wilshire Winds Choral Hall Tuesday, Nov :15 p.m. Yoga Room :30 p.m. Stephen Min. supervision Wednesday, Nov. 9 9:30 a.m. New Song Choral Hall 11:00 a.m. Koinonia Café Comm. Hall 11:15 a.m. Gentle Voices 12:00 p.m. Bible study Comm. Hall 5:00 p.m. Koinonia Café Comm. Hall 5:00 p.m. Beginning bells Room :00 p.m. Music and Missions and Bible Skills 6:00 p.m. The Scripture and Story of Handel s Messiah Room 3205 Continued on page 2

2 Brokenness Richard Selzer is a surgeon who wrote the book Mortal Lessons. In it he tells a beautiful story about discovering God incarnate even and especially in trying circumstances. He writes: I stand by the bed where a young woman lies, her face postoperative, her mouth twisted in palsy, clownish. A tiny twig of the facial nerve, the one to the muscles of her mouth, has been severed. She will be thus from now on. The surgeon had followed with religious fever the curve of her flesh; I promise you that. Nevertheless, to remove the tumor in her cheek, I had to cut the little nerve. Her young husband is in the room. He stands on the opposite side of the bed and together they seem to dwell in the evening lamplight, isolated from me, private. Who are they, I ask myself, he and this wry mouth I have made, who gaze at and touch each other so generously, greedily? The young woman speaks. Will my mouth always be like this? she asks. Yes, I say, it will. It is because the nerve was cut. She nods and is silent. But the young man smiles. I like it, he says, It is kind of cute. All at once I know who he is. I understand and I lower my gaze. One is not bold in an Another Voice encounter with God. Unmindful, he bends to kiss her crooked mouth and I am so close I can see how he twists his own lips to accommodate to hers, to show her that their kiss still works. We live in a time where each day we are tempted to feast on sinful fear. We can look at the world around us, examine the evidence before us, and we can despair. We can shake our fists at the heavens and wonder where God is, or worse, shake our fists at one another to cast accusation and brandish blame. It s lazy and it takes very little creativity, which is why it s always been our easiest and most popular option. Or we can choose to look deeper. If the Jesus story tells us anything, it tells us that God is present in brokenness and suffering, but only for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. Only for those who are looking. But if we are looking, then we can see the beauty of God within the broken, and in doing so, we manifest the grace of God in our world. Jakob Topper This Week at Wilshire Continued from page 1 Wednesday, Nov. 16 6:00 p.m. Incarnation Bible study, Room :00 p.m. MOPS Steering, Room :15 p.m. Yoga class, Room :30 p.m. Watershed 6:50 p.m. Table Talk, James Gallery 7:00 p.m. Sanctuary Choir, Choral Hall Thursday, Nov :00 a.m. New Song concert 1:30 p.m. Knit Unto Others, Parlor 2:00 p.m. Senior women s exercise class, Room 3211 Friday, Nov. 18 9:00 a.m. MOPS Mothers of Preschoolers, James Gallery Saturday, Nov. 19 Youth fall retreat Koinonia Café on Wednesdays Nov. 16: Glazed turkey meatloaf, stuffed bell peppers, giblet gravy, cabbage and carrots medley, fried eggplant, house soup and salad bar, chef s choice desserts. This Wednesday at Wilshire Full schedule of Wednesday programs for adults, preschoolers, children and youth this week. The noon Bible study in Community Hall focuses on the theology of incarnation. Evening adult options include a study of Handel s Messiah and a Bible study on incarnation. Condolences to: x Jack and Kathi Lyle on the death of Kathi s cousin, Sally Jo McNair, Nov. 4 x Alvin and Jean Burns and Dwight and Karen Burns on the death of Alvin s brother and Dwight s uncle, Ned Burns, Nov. 5 New members x Lauren Chester x Amy Duval x Dana Duval Tapestry (USPS ) is published weekly except Christmas week by Wilshire Baptist Church, 4316 Abrams Rd., Dallas TX Periodicals postage paid at Dallas, TX. Telephone: (214) Website: Editor: Mark Wingfield. Contributing writer: Sue Coffman. Postmaster: Send change of address to 4316 Abrams Rd., Dallas TX

3 Final day of voting today Today is the second and final day for voting on the resolution put forward from the deacons. Here is how to vote: x All members who desire to vote and have not yet voted should stop by James Gallery before worship today. x The church clerk has prepared envelopes labeled with the name of each active member. Inside each envelope is a ballot. x These envelopes will be distributed at tables in James Gallery staffed by deacons. x Ballots also will be available for inactive members who come to vote and whose names are verified by the church clerk as being on the membership roll. x To receive a ballot, a member must appear in person at the distribution table in James Gallery. No ballots will be given to a third party. x Members must be present in the Sanctuary to vote. In compliance with the bylaws, a ballot will not be accepted by proxy or from outside the Sanctuary. x Ballot distribution will begin at 7:45 a.m. and close at 8:30 a.m. and then begin again at 9:30 a.m. and close at 11 a.m. Once the worship hour has begun, ballot distribution will cease. Latecomers will not be able to secure ballots after worship has begun. x Those who are voting will be invited to come forward during the hymn of commitment and place their ballots in boxes at the front of both middle aisles and then return to their seats. x Results of the voting will be announced on Monday afternoon. Wilshire funds educate on gender-based violence A Missions Plus grant from Wilshire made a great impact during recent Truth Be Told conferences in South Africa and Kenya, according to an event organizer. Using funds from the 2015 Unified Budget, the Missions Committee made a Missions Plus grant to Christians for Biblical Equality. The funds were used to print books to be distributed free at conferences in Johannesburg and Capetown, South Africa, and Bondo, Kenya. The conferences and the books address gender-based violence by laying a biblical foundation for the equal dignity and authority of women and men. Gender-based violence in South Africa is among the highest in the world, fueled in part by a patriarchal society. Religious leaders are social gatekeepers and often use the Bible to justify the subjugation of women. Between conferences in the three locations, Wilshire s gift reached more than 3,600 people with distribution of 3,770 books. People were amazed and excited to get them free, said Mary Lou Wiley, development manager for CBE. Several pastors are using the content from the books and our leadership training to host their own events. We know of follow-up training in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe. One pastor from Zimbabwe Reading Partners and Kids Hope USA. We are still looking for people who would be willing to serve one hour a week as a reading partner with a child at Mata Montessori or a mentor to a child at Stonewall Jackson. Our volunteer pool for both of these ministries has drastically decreased in the past few years, and we are looking to pick it up again. Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance. On the evening of Jan. 26, Wilshire will be a training center for MDHA s annual homeless count. Volunteers will be sent out WEND thanks. Women helped by Wilshire s gifts to WEND Africa, led by Jolly Grace Okot Andruvile, show a sign of thanks in this photo. Jolly spoke at Wilshire earlier this year and told about her work helping women in Uganda who have been victims of abduction and abuse. A number of Wilshire members bought purses and bags crafted by these women as a means of creating a sustainable income for their families. reported: I was transformed and inspired by all the presentations and workshops at Truth Be Told conference. As a pastor, having been empowered by what I got at the conference, I have a burden upon my heart to be the salt of the earth as the Bible says and transform this community through the truth of the word and end gender-based violence, child marriages, and restore gender equality as it was in the beginning and as God intended it to be. Because of unexpected economies in printing, CBE reports having sufficient remaining funds from Wilshire to do even more, extending the book distribution to Haiti. Thank you again for the generous grant award from Wilshire, Mary Lou said. We re doing our best to maximize the impact of every dollar. Missions service opportunities all over the city to talk and record an accurate count for the government of how many homeless men, women and families we have in our city. Make plans now to volunteer for this life-changing opportunity. Also, on Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 16, Wilshire volunteers will help MDHA stuff training packets and make hygiene kits to hand out to those interviewed. Thanksgiving dinner with Gateway of Grace. Gateway of Grace will host its annual Thanksgiving lunch for refugees at St. John s Episcopal Church. The holidays can be lonely times for those who are away from everything they know. Last year, more than 400 refugees and volunteers attended this dinner. Contact Heather Mustain if you re interested in making a donation or joining the fun as a volunteer. For more information on any of these opportunities, contact Minister of Missions Heather Mustain at (214) or hmustain@wilshirebc.org. 3

4 Men s ski trip All interested men are invited to participate in Wilshire s annual men s ski trip Feb in Steamboat Springs, Colo. The trip is led by George Mason and Doug Hill. Costs vary based on travel arrangements and options at the lodge. The cost for lodging, lift tickets and ski rentals combined is $522 per person. The cost for lodging and lift tickets only is $472. The cost for non-skiers is $307 per person. Additional costs will include airline transportation and shuttle, insurance and shared food. To participate, a deposit of $250 is required now, with the balance due by Jan. 2. Register online at wilshirebc. org/registration or call Mary Ann Hill at (214) Follow Wilshire on Facebook Decorate Sanctuary with poinsettias You can help decorate Wilshire s Sanctuary with poinsettias for the upcoming Advent season. Each year, the festive flowers are provided by congregants in honor or in memory of loved ones, friends, family members and teachers. All dedications will be listed in the Tapestry on the second Sunday of Advent. Each plants costs $10. Donors are invited to take the plants home after the Christmas Day service. Place your order using forms available in the church office or online at wilshirebc.org/registration. The deadline is Sunday, Nov

5 The numbers Report for Oct. 30 Sunday School Officers Preschool...89 Children Youth Adults Total present Total previous week Total last year Generosity Unified Budget received $60,135 Unified Budget projected $85,930 Unified Budget YTD $3,209,868 Unified Budget projected $4,038,720 Pathways Endowment received YTD $67,834 Pathways Endowment current fund value $3,778,039 December 31 goal $4,910,290 December 1 goal $4,296,503 November 1 goal $3,952,783 October 1 goal $3,559,960 September 1 goal $3,216,240 August 1 goal $2,798,865 July 1 goal $2,406,042 June 1 goal $1,988,667 May 1 goal $1,546,741 April 1 goal $1,203,071 March 1 goal $810,198 February 1 goal $466,478 Unified Budget Spain reflection: Looking outside the church walls This is the second in a series of reflections by Wilshire members who participated in a recent Pivot missions trip to Barcelona, Spain. By Timothy Peoples A few hours ago, we were sitting in a circle listening to Alejo s conversion story. But now we were walking into the church to experience a piece of his faith journey with our own eyes. It was explained to our group that baptism services are quite special and do not happen often but when they do, it is a celebration. As we walked into the church, I noticed the Sanctuary was packed with people and the Fellowship Hall was filled with party food. It truly was about to be a celebration. As the service began, I continued to notice a little boy who was probably around the age of 6. Throughout the pastor s sermon he constantly looked outside the window to the basketball and tennis courts, where other children played together. It did not take long for me to do the exact same thing. The boy turned and looked at me. I smiled in a way of thanking him for the lesson he had just taught me. Because I then realized the church is not just within these walls, but our baptisms send us back outside of them. Now, I know you are thinking, Duh, the church is outside the walls. But is it really a duh? So often in my context as a minister I hear people constantly say how tired they are of social justice/advocacy and wish we could get back to the gospel. Yet isn t this precisely the gospel? I recently heard someone say, You can t do evangelism without social justice. It becomes a new way to start a conversation; it is what this generation is passionate about. Many are worried about millennials lack of participation in church, but when I talk to my friends who are all millennials they are worried about the church s lack of When you give to Wilshire s Unified Budget, you support the Global Missions effort of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, including work with the Roma people in Slovakia. We met Rene several years ago when he was working at the Children s Center, an outreach of Bethel Ministries/Litomerice Baptist Church. I was immediately impressed by his commitment to serving others and we remained friends even after the Center closed. I know Rene to be a compassionate and committed servant, and I was honored to be present at his appointment service. At the service, an elder who happened to be Baptist shared how meaningful Rene s friendship has been to him. He said, I consider him my brother. He continued through his tears, We are brothers here and we will be brothers in heaven. By bridging generations, races and church affiliation these two brothers deconstruct the rhetoric of intolerance against anti-sociables as the Roma are euphemistically called by some Czech politicians. Deconstructing the myth that Roma and non-roma Czechs cannot relate to the other, the reign of God grows as these men from different worlds learn to live in beloved community. Dianne and Shane McNary, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Field Personnel, Slovakia participation outside its walls and community. I find myself caught up in the midst of my own community and church building, and I forget that the church is also out there, too. When we spoke to Alejo, he mentioned many in Spain saying: Why should I be a Christian? I give to the poor and open my home to those who may not have a home. I do more than what most Christians actually do, and only speak of. I have constantly replayed Alejo s voice and commentary in my head and wondered what it means for a country like America. What does it mean for me as a pastor? What does it mean to be a Christian but neglect those who are in need, discriminated against and hurting? What does it mean to fail to realize being a Christian is not just in the Sanctuary but outside the window? Slowly and surely, I am trying to work through these questions while also using my hands and feet for the work of Christ to provide answers. Adventurers set Christmas banquet plans Wilshire Adventurers invites all senior adults to a Christmas banquet on Friday, Dec. 2, at 6:30 p.m. in Community Hall. Entertainment for the evening will be provided by the choral ensemble Texas Harmony. Dinner will be a formal service with lavender, lemon and honey spatchcocked roast chicken; grilled asparagus; twice-baked potatoes; strawberry spinach salad with vinaigrette dressing; sweet cranberry walnut rolls; turtle cheesecake. Cost is $22 per person. Sign up on Sundays in James Gallery or on Wednesdays at noon in Community Hall. The event is open to all whether members or not. 5

6 6 Wilshire contacts To any member of the Wilshire staff, use the first initial with the full last name and then To phone staff, dial (214) 452- and the four-digit extension: Pastoral offices George Mason (3132) Debby Burton (3132) Mark Wingfield (3128) Kathi Lyle (3130) Pathways to Ministry Geri McKenzie (3159) Timothy Peoples (3153) Kevin Sinclair (3155) Jakob Topper (3152) Business offices David Nabors (3157) Lori Gooden (3131) Susan Kimball (3108) Dale Pride (3101) Holly Irvin (3150) Beverly Faubion (3111) Adam Scheuermann (3136) Age-graded ministries Jessica Capps (3129) Darren DeMent (3102) Julie Girards (3104) Joan Hammons (3141) Carol Cabaniss (3106) Care ministries Tiffany Wright (3107) Debby Burton (3132) Missions/advocacy offices Heather Mustain (3110) Katie Murray (3126) Abbey Adcox (3127) Music offices Doug Haney (3123) Sarah Stafford (3121) Barbara Clayton (3125) Jeff Brummel (3122) Food services Arlana Brumfield (3117) Weekday Education Mary Browder (3115) Parish nurse Linda Garner (3151) Library Barbara Peterson (3114) Reception desk (214) Wilshire Baptist Church 4316 Abrams Rd Dallas TX Sunday, Nov. 27 First Sunday in Advent x Worship at 8:30 and 11:00, Nova singing Sunday, Dec. 4 Second Sunday in Advent x Worship at 8:30 with New Song singing x Worship at 11:00 with Sanctuary Choir singing x Hanging of the Green at 6:30, featuring Sanctuary Choir, Youth Choir, Shekinah, Nova, Young Musicians and Wilshire Winds Christmas cookie reception after program Wednesday, Dec. 7 x Advent vespers led by pastoral residents in McIver Chapel at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 Third Sunday in Advent x Worship at 8:30 and 11:00 with Youth Choir and Carillon Ringers PERIODICALS RATE Wednesday, Dec. 14 x Preschool Christmas pageant with younger children s choirs at 6:00 in Sanctuary Sunday, Dec. 18 Fourth Sunday in Advent x Worship at 8:30 and 11:00 with Sanctuary Choir singing excerpts from Handel s Messiah Saturday, Dec. 24 Christmas Eve x Candlelight worship at 5:00 and 11:00 Sunday, Dec. 25 Christmas Day x Worship at 10:00 only; no Sunday School