Preparing for worship

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Hillary Butler
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1 Seventh Sunday after Epiphany February 19, 2017

2 Preparing for worship Throughout this season of Epiphany, we have highlighted our church s mission engagement in the community and around the world. Most of the Epiphany reflection this year has employed the metaphor of light as something that reveals what is hidden yet true, or something that shows evil for what it is by shining a light on it. The church performs our Light Work in the world this way: we announce the truth and bear witness to the good. Light also carries the connotation of relief. When we remove a burden from someone, we lighten their load. When we take away oppression or guilt or grief, we lighten the spirit of those who have carried heavy weights. Jesus didn t just show us something; he took on something. As Isaiah said: Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Matthew quotes Jesus: Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. A yoke is a harness that oxen wear about their shoulders. It ties them to others in the team and to the plow they pull. When the yoke is customfitted for the ox, the beast of burden hardly feels the weight it carries. When it is ill-fitted, the lightest weight is heavy. Jesus says his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Which means it allows him to carry the world on his shoulders. He fits us with his yoke too, which he customizes for each one of us so that we may bear one another s burdens. Worship invites us to lay our burdens down and lighten up, knowing that we can find rest in God. Christ lightens our load in order that we may freely carry the burdens of our neighbors, not so that we can remain unencumbered. The church s light work takes on the weight of the world by wearing the yoke of Christ. We don t spend all our time fixing blame or exposing shame. We are too busy carrying one another in the name of Christ. George Mason Wilshire Baptist Church 4316 Abrams Road Dallas, Texas (214) Partnered with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship ON THE COVER: Isolation, David Clanton, interpreting Matthew 27:46 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 2

3 The Worship of God February 19, :30 and 11:00 a.m. Seventh Sunday after Epiphany Chiming of the Hour The people of Wilshire gather this morning to worship God. In order for this service of worship to be focused upon that purpose, please turn off all cell phones, pagers and alarm watches. Prelude What Love Has Brought Us Together arr. Burkhardt Opening Sentences Wesley Hibbs / Angela Brindle May you find in the house of the Lord today a place of peace and safety, a sanctuary from the trials of life and all that threatens to undo you. May you find here today courage to live for God and hope that God is alive in you. Let us arise and shine, because the glory of the Lord is upon us. +Hymn 87 Arise, Your Light Is Come festal song Greeting to Worshipers Jakob Topper / Kevin Sinclair Guests are invited to take a Response Card from the pew rack, complete it and place it in the offering plate later in the service. We would love to know you were here today. Prayer concerns will be addressed this hour when listed on an intercessory prayer card from the pew rack and placed in the offering plate. Old Testament Reading Leviticus 19:1 2, 9 18 Jennifer Wagner / Tim Morgan The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God.... You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another. And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the Lord. You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord. You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your *8:30 worship service / **11:00 worship service +All congregants who are able are invited to stand. Hearing devices are available in the Narthex and South Atrium. 3

4 kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Light Work Focus Rhonda Walton +Hymn 480 Rescue the Perishing rescue Prayers of the People Mark Wingfield Giving of Tithes and Offerings When you give to Wilshire s Unified Budget, you support an array of local missions partners, including Genesis Women s Shelter, whose mission is to provide safety, shelter and support for women who have experienced domestic violence, and to raise awareness regarding its cause, prevalence and impact. Offertory How Great Thou Art arr. Miller +Offertory Response Gloria Patri gloria patri Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, World without end. Amen. Amen. +Gospel Reading Matthew 5:38 48 Jessica Capps / Darren DeMent You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. *Solo We Walk by Faith arr. Lanier Daniel Pearson, bass; Susan Kimball, flute (Text: Celebrating Grace hymnal 634) 4

5 **Anthem The Best of Rooms Stroope Sanctuary Choir Christ, he requires still, whereso er he comes; To feed or to lodge wheresoe er he comes, Christ requires the best of rooms. Alleluia! Grant him the choice, the nobler part of all the house, The best of all s the heart. Alleluia! ~ Robert Herrick Message Disabusing George Mason +Hymn of Commitment 680 I Then Shall Live finlandia **Family Dedication We welcome into the life of the church today James Carlos Capistran, son of Carlos and Torre Capistran. Through this dedication, the family and the congregation pledge together to raise James in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, so that when he reaches an appropriate age he may choose for himself to follow Jesus Christ as Savior. Present for the dedication are grandparents James and Constance Kean and great-grandparents Laurence and Doris Chadwick. Sharing of Decisions Benediction Postlude Tuba Tune in D Major, Op. 15 C.S. Lang All guests are invited to a coffee reception in James Gallery immediately after the 11:00 service. The flowers on the chancel today are given in loving memory of Howard Marsellus on his birthday by his wife, Nancy Stretch, and daughters, Megan and Rachel Marsellus. Welcome to Wilshire today. If you are a guest with us today, we welcome you warmly to our congregation. We would like to get to know you and tell you more about our church. Please take a Response Card from the pew rack, fill it out and place it in the offering plate when it comes by. Someone to talk with. If you are facing a life challenge and would like to have a spiritual friend to walk alongside you for a season of healing, perhaps you would benefit from a Stephen Minister. Learn more at wilshirebc.org or contact Tiffany Wright at (214)

This week at Wilshire Continued from back page Ash Wednesday worship. On Ash Wednesday, March 1, special worship with optional imposition of ashes will be offered at noon in Community Hall and at 6 p.

6 This week at Wilshire Continued from back page Ash Wednesday worship. On Ash Wednesday, March 1, special worship with optional imposition of ashes will be offered at noon in Community Hall and at 6 p.m. in McIver Chapel. Koinonia Café Feb. 22: Baked ham, honey mustard chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens with bacon, creamed corn, potato hash, sugar snap peas, cornbread, banana pudding. Beginnings Class. A new session of Wilshire s Beginnings Class for nearly and newly married couples will be offered on six Sunday mornings beginning March 5. For information, contact Tiffany Wright at twright@wilshirebc.org or (214) Blood drive. Wilshire s quarterly blood drive will be Sunday, Feb. 26, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Community Hall. Sign up online at wilshirebc.org/ registration or walk in. Listening Prayer Retreat. Great is God s Faithfulness is the theme of this year s Listening Prayer Retreat, sponsored jointly by Wilshire and a coalition of other Texas churches. The retreat will be held Friday, March 31, through Sunday, April 2, at Arrowhead Camp and Retreat Center near Glen Rose. Brochures and registration forms are available in the church office. Philippians study. A Bible study on the book of Philippians is currently offered for adults on Wednesday nights from 6:00 to 6:50 p.m. in Room 1205-G. The same study is offered at noon in Community Hall. Youth Choir auction and luncheon. Save the date for the annual Wilshire Youth Choir silent auction and spaghetti luncheon on Sunday, March 5. Plan to stay after Sunday School and worship for lunch and to bid in the auction. Burger benefit for Grief and Loss Center. On Monday, March 6, from 4 to 9 p.m., Liberty Burger in Lakewood will donate 10 percent of sales to the Grief and Loss Center of North Texas. Diners must bring printed copies of the event flier, available in the church office or on Wilshire s website. Faith and race discussion. Katie Murray and Timothy Peoples are co-leading a conversation on faith and race every Wednesday evening in February. The class includes information about the New Baptist Covenant partnership between Wilshire and Friendship-West Baptist Church. Participants will discuss the intersection of faith and race, as well as how to begin thinking about and engaging in the work of racial reconciliation both as individuals and a church community. The class meets each week at 6 p.m. in Room 1205-L. Inherit the Wind at Wilshire. Scenes from the classic American play will be presented during the annual Faith in 3-D event in Community Hall on Thursday and Friday, March 9 and 10. The hourlong dramatic event will be followed by dessert and a panel dialogue both nights. The event is free. The play will begin at 7:30 both nights, but attendees are encouraged to arrive 15 to 20 minutes early for a surprise pre-show event. Child care is available. Road to Resurrection. Two weeks before Easter, Wilshire will offer a new multisensory experience for all ages. Road to Resurrection, a family Lenten experience, will be in Community Hall on Sunday, March 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This come-and-go event takes about an hour to complete. Participants travel the path of Jesus during his last week on earth. The event will be filled with Bible-time experiences that will engage participants of all ages, especially older preschoolers through middle elementary ages. Read more at wilshirebc.org. New giving options. Automated bank draft giving through Wilshire s website is now available. Set up an ACH payment schedule through the secure website, which gives you control over the amount, frequency and fund selection. To use this option, visit wilshirebc.org/give and create a login if you don t already have one. Then, look for the My Scheduled Giving tab and follow the instructions. Also, online giving may be accessed by scanning this code into your smartphone or tablet with a QR Code reader. 6

7 Meet today s worship leaders Angela Brindle joined Wilshire in She is married to Thomas, and they are the parents of Nicolette, who is 1. Angela and Thomas attend Genesis Class, and she serves on the Weekday Education Committee. Wesley Hibbs is the son of Rick and Susan Hibbs and is a senior at St. Mark s School, where he also plays competitive water polo. Tim Morgan and his wife, Jane, joined Wilshire in He is a deacon, serves on the Christian Advocacy Committee, previously served as chairman of deacons and as chair of the Personnel Committee. Tim and Jane are members of BEST Class. The Morgans two adult children, Emily and David, grew up at Wilshire. Professionally, Tim is corporate controller for the Republic group of insurance companies. Daniel Pearson and his wife, Katie, came to Wilshire in They are members of Labyrinth Staff contacts George A. Mason, Ph.D. Senior Pastor (214) Mark Wingfield Associate Pastor (214) Doug Haney Minister of Music (214) Sarah Stafford Associate Minister of Music (214) Jeff Brummel Music Associate/Organist (214) Tiffany Wright Minister for Care Ministries (214) Jessica Capps Minister to Senior Adults (214) Darren DeMent Minister to Students (214) Julie Girards Minister to Children (214) Joan Hammons Minister to Preschoolers (214) Heather Mustain Minister of Missions (214) Katie Murray Christian Advocacy Specialist (214) Class and serve as ushers. Daniel sings in Sanctuary Choir and chairs the Risk Management Committee. He and Katie are parents of Nate, who is 3, and Winnie, who is 1. Daniel is an attorney with Caldwell Cassady & Curry, where his practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and patent infringement disputes. Jennifer Wagner has been a Wilshire member since She is married to Ed, and they are the parents of Noah, who is a fifth grader, Hadyn, who is a second grader, and Elly, who is a first grader. Jennifer and Ed are members of Avodah Class. Rhonda Walton and her husband, Jim, joined Wilshire in They are the parents of four adult sons. Rhonda attends Epiphany Class and serves on the Missions Committee. Recently, she served on the Inclusion and Diversity Study Group and on the lay advisory team for Pastoral Resident Erica Whitaker. She is a pediatrician by vocation and works at a CitySquare clinic. Timothy Peoples Pastoral Resident (214) Kevin Sinclair Pastoral Resident (214) Jakob Topper Pastoral Resident (214) David Nabors Director of Business Admin. (214) Dale Pride Facilities Manager (214) J. Preston Bright Associate Pastor Emeritus To any staff member, use the first letter of the first name combined with the full last name and

This week at Wilshire Mackenzie Phillips at Wilshire. Actress and activist Mackenzie Phillips will appear at Wilshire this Thursday night, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. in Community Hall.

Mackenzie is best known for her roles in American Graffiti and as rebellious teenager Julie Cooper on the sitcom One Day at a Time.

Adam s Baskets, the wicker baskets located around the church building, are empty and need your donations of food staples for use in the church s benevolence ministry.

kitchen or cooking supplies. New books on refugees. Wilshire s Library currently features books on refugees and their journeys.

New members: Sean Sims, Mark Meyer. I Am Wilshire. Visit wilshirebc.org this week to read a new I Am Wilshire interview with Steve Brookshire. Adventurers to Waco.

8 This week at Wilshire Mackenzie Phillips at Wilshire. Actress and activist Mackenzie Phillips will appear at Wilshire this Thursday night, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. in Community Hall. The free event is a dialogue with Senior Pastor George Mason, as together they will discuss her new book, Hopeful Healing: Essays on Managing Recovery and Surviving Addiction. Mackenzie is best known for her roles in American Graffiti and as rebellious teenager Julie Cooper on the sitcom One Day at a Time. She also is the daughter of John Phillips, lead singer of the 1960s band The Mamas and the Papas. Adam s Baskets need donations. Adam s Baskets, the wicker baskets located around the church building, are empty and need your donations of food staples for use in the church s benevolence ministry. Especially needed are easyto-open items such as peanut butter, canned soups with pop-top lids, crackers, canned tuna, canned beans and vegetables and anything else accessible to a person without a kitchen or cooking supplies. New books on refugees. Wilshire s Library currently features books on refugees and their journeys. Many of these books are visible in the glass display case, and all are available for checkout. Visit the Library to see a number of new children s books about refugees and their journeys. New members: Sean Sims, Mark Meyer. I Am Wilshire. Visit wilshirebc.org this week to read a new I Am Wilshire interview with Steve Brookshire. Adventurers to Waco. Senior adults are invited on a Wilshire Adventurers day trip to Waco on March 30. Cost is $55, which covers motor coach transportation, admissions to all sites, including Clifton Art Center, Mammoth National Monument, Magnolia House and the Texas Rangers Museum, as well as lunch at Buzzard Billy s. Sign up with payment to Kathi Lyle in the associate pastor s office. Missions success stories. Through Wilshire s annual Giving Tree, 75 children received Christmas gifts. Twenty volunteers from Wilshire joined others at CitySquare on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to pack hygiene kits that were distributed to homeless men and women. Wilshire hosted its first night of Room in the Inn on Jan. 18, welcoming 10 women involved in Austin Street s Sisterhood Program. On Jan. 26, Wilshire served as a deployment site for the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance annual homeless count, serving 400 volunteers, including 25 from Wilshire. Weekly Witness. Every Monday during February, legislative briefings from Texas Impact are offered at noon in Room This week s topic is public education. Next week s topic will be climate, water, energy and other environmental issues. All are welcome to bring a lunch and join the conversation. Summer internships. Wilshire has openings for two paid summer children s ministry internships for 10 weeks this summer. Candidates should have completed at least one, or preferably two or more, years of college and have experience working with children as well as have a desire to explore the opportunity to serve in a ministry position. Contact Julie Girards, minister to children, at jgirards@wilshirebc.org or (214) Condolences to: Bob Bozeman on the death of his wife, Grace Bozeman, Feb. 15. Tapestry newsletter. Do you receive the Friday Online Tapestry? Every Friday afternoon, Wilshire sends out a digital copy of the Online Tapestry newsletter, with more information than is offered here. If you are not receiving the and would like to, contact Susan Kimball at skimball@ wilshirebc.org or (214) Continued on page 6 Keep up with all the Wilshire news at wilshirebc.org or by using our Wilshire app or via social media. Worship is live streamed every Sunday at 11:00. 8

Lectionary Readings. February Year A

Lectionary Readings. February Year A Lectionary Readings February 2017 Year A Sunday, February 5 (5 Epiphany) Isaiah 58:1-12 Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house