Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost August 27, 2017
Preparing for worship I know an old Baptist pastor who doesn t say the Pledge of Allegiance. When concerned church members reasonably questioned him on the topic, he explained that his baptism was his pledge of allegiance. As the water washed over him, he died to all worldly kingdoms and their seduction. As he was lifted up out of the water, he was raised from the grave as Christ was. He now lives with his allegiance pledged solely to the kingdom of God and its compassionate king. It s a drastic example for many who can t imagine not pledging allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. But it shows us the imagery Paul uses to explain what is happening at baptism. We died to ourselves and to all the allures of the world and its powers. We are born again into a new way of being human and a new citizenship which is in heaven. In our epistle reading today, Paul tells the Roman church to no longer be conformed to this world. Christian allegiance belongs to Christ and not to the worldly powers and practices that are contrary to the liberty of God s kingdom. Some Christians may not go so far as to stop pledging allegiance to their own country s kingdom, but some might. Today, God calls us not merely to be good citizens of our earthly kingdoms, but to be good citizens of the heavenly kingdom. Often that does mean resisting the powers of our world when the rights of neighbors and nations are threatened. But it always means resisting the powers threatening our minds. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of yours minds. Rather than calling us to nonconformity, we are called to conform to a new pattern of life one that doesn t come from Hollywood or Washington, D.C., but from God. It s the way of humility and love, kindness and self-sacrifice. It s the way of Jesus, and its destination is the cross. Will we conform to this new way of life? It s what the world needs most, and it s what our spirits long for. No other pattern of living gives life more abundantly than the way of Christ. But there is a cost. Jakob Topper Wilshire Baptist Church 4316 Abrams Road Dallas, Texas 75214 (214) 452-3100 www.wilshirebc.org Partnered with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Building a Community of Faith Shaped by the Spirit of Jesus Christ ON THE COVER: Romans 12:1-2-B 2016 Timothy R. Botts Eyekons 2
August 27, 2017 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost 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 Voluntary in A Minor, Op 6, No. 2 Stanley **Baptism Cayton Wright Ann Bell Worley Ross Granberry George Mason +Hymn 368 We Praise You with Our Minds, O Lord clonmel During the first hymn, all students are invited to gather on the chancel steps for the Blessing of the Backpacks. Blessing of the Backpacks Kevin Sinclair / Jakob Topper Leader: Students, may God s blessing and protection be on you and these backpacks this new school year. And as you carry these backpacks, may you carry with you the love of God to see everyone around you as a neighbor loved by God. As you fill your backpacks with books, People: May you be filled with God s grace. Leader: As you grow in knowledge, People: May you also grow in compassion. Leader: Teachers, may God s blessing and faithfulness be upon you as you lead and serve the students of our community. Remember that you are ambassadors for Christ, living out the love of God in daily words and actions. As you instruct God s children, People: May you be filled with wisdom and overflowing with mercy. Leader: As you care for your students, People: May you love as Christ loved and serve as Christ served. Leader: Parents, may God s blessing and joy be upon you as you send out your children to learn and grow. Remember that these children are gifts from God and full of potential because they are made in the image of God. As you pack their lunches and help with homework, People: May you be filled with God s peace. Leader: As you challenge and encourage them to grow, People: May you wonder at God s new work in the world. All: Amen. *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
Greeting to Worshipers Mark Wingfield 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 received and prayed for this week when listed on an intercessory prayer card from the pew rack and placed in the offering plate. Reading Psalm 124 Jane Ballard / Leigh Ann Brown If it had not been the Lord who was on our side let Israel now say if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; then over us would have gone the raging waters. Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Musical Meditation Wasteland Rinehart Blake and Lesley-Ann Tommey I m the first one in line to die when the cavalry comes. Yeah, it feels like the great divide has already come. Yeah, I m wasting my way through days losing youth along the way. Oh, if God is on my side then who can be against me? There was a greatness I felt for a while but somehow it changed. Some kind of blindness I used to protect me from all of my stains. Yeah, I wish this was vertigo but it just feels like I m falling slow. Oh, if God is on my side then who can be against me? Yeah, in this wasteland where I m livin there is a crack in the door filled with light. And it s all that I need to get by, yeah, in this wasteland where I m livin. There is a crack in the door filled with light, and it s all that I need to shine. All of these people I meet, it seems like they re fine. Yeah, in some ways I hope that they re not and their hearts are like mine. It s wrong when it seems like work to belong; all I feel is hurt. Oh, if God is on my side then who can be against me? Yeah, in this wasteland where I m livin there is a crack in the door filled with light. And it s all that I need to get by, yeah, in this wasteland where I m livin. There is a crack in the door filled with light, and it s all that I need to shine. Oh, if God is on my side then who can be against me? 4
Prayers of the People Tiffany Wright / Darren DeMent +Hymn 590 The Solid Rock solid rock Giving of Tithes and Offerings When you give to Wilshire s Unified Budget, you support the field personnel of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship serving Christ around the globe. One of those newly appointed to service is our guest in worship this morning, Lesley-Ann Tommey. She will serve at Metro Baptist Church in New York City, where CBF supports a variety of social and educational ministries. Through our Unified Budget, Wilshire helps make her presence in New York possible. Offertory Variations on God Is So Good arr. Roberson +Offertory Response old 100th Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God all creatures here below; Praise God above ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. Epistle Reading Romans 12:1 8 Chad Brown / Laura Smith I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. **Anthem O God Beyond All Praising arr. Forrest Sanctuary Choir Message Beyond Nonconformity George Mason +Hymn 205 Christ is Alive truro 5
Sharing of Decisions Affirmation of Baptism Benediction Postlude Christ Is Alive! Let Christians Sing arr. Held All guests are invited to a coffee reception in the James Gallery immediately after the service. 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. The rose on the chancel today is in celebration of the birth of Luna Capistran, daughter of Carlos and Torre Capistran, born Aug. 19, 2017. The flowers on the chancel today are given in honor of those who teach and lead the children of Wilshire, as we begin a new year of learning. 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) 452-3107. 6
Meet today s worship leaders Jane Ballard and her husband, Kyle, joined Wilshire in 2016. They are the parents of Benjamin, 3, and Ann Marie, 1. Jane and Kyle attend Genesis Class, and she serves on the Weekday Education Committee. Chad Brown began attending Wilshire in 1993, when he met his wife, Allison. They married at Wilshire. His in-laws, Stan and Avonne Bullock, also attend Wilshire. The Browns are the parents of three boys: Forrest, a student at Texas Tech University; Peyton, a student at the University of Oklahoma; and Carson, a senior at Lake Highlands High School. Chad is a self-employed CPA. He is a deacon and attends Genesis Class. Leigh Ann Brown and her husband, Kile, came to Wilshire in 1997. They are the parents of two adult daughters, Chelsea and Alison, and a son, Blake, a junior at Lake Highlands High School. Leigh Ann is a deacon, teaches preschool Sunday School and Staff contacts George A. Mason Senior Pastor (214) 452-3132 Mark Wingfield Associate Pastor (214) 452-3128 Doug Haney Minister of Music (214) 452-3123 Sarah Stafford Associate Minister of Music (214) 452-3121 Jeff Brummel Music Associate/Organist (214) 452-3122 Tiffany Wright Minister for Care Ministries (214) 452-3107 Jessica Capps Minister to Senior Adults (214) 452-3129 Darren DeMent Minister to Students (214) 452-3102 Julie Girards Minister to Children (214) 452-3104 Joan Hammons Minister to Preschoolers (214) 452-3141 Heather Mustain Minister of Missions (214) 452-3110 Katie Murray Christian Advocacy Specialist (214) 452-3126 Timothy Peoples McIver Fellow (214) 452-3153 Kevin Sinclair Pastoral Resident (214) 452-3155 7 serves on the New Member Committee. Laura Smith and her husband, Dennis, have been Wilshire members since 2001 and serve as directors of Foundations of Faith Class. She is a deacon, serves on the Baptism and Deacon Nominating committees and will faciliate one of the new Companions in Christ groups this fall. Blake and Lesley-Ann Tommey are moving to New York as field personnel with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Blake grew up at Wilshire and is the son of Carol and Terry Tommey. Learn more about their missionary work at https://www.classy. org/campaign/lesley-ann-hix-tommey/c132727. Ann Bell Worley is an alumna of Wilshire s pastoral residency program. She and her husband, Todd, live in the Houston area, where they are raising two young children and Ann is an author and speaker. Jakob Topper Pastoral Resident (214) 452-3152 Aaron Coyle-Carr Pastoral Resident (214) 452-3154 Matt Dodrill Pastoral Resident (214) 452-3156 David Nabors Director of Business Admin. (214) 452-3157 Dale Pride Facilities Manager (214) 452-3101 J. Preston Bright Associate Pastor Emeritus To email any staff member, use the first letter of the first name combined with the full last name and add @wilshirebc.org.
This week at Wilshire Strike up the band Wilshire Wind Symphony resumes rehearsals on Monday, Sept. 11, and players are needed in all sections. Any student who is in their third year or more of playing is welcome to join, and adults who haven t played in years are welcome to come try it out. The ensemble uses all wind instruments and percussion. Rehearsals are Monday nights at 7 p.m. in Choral Hall. Wednesday evenings resume Wednesday Nights at Wilshire resumes this week, with new programming for adults. Children s Wednesday night programming resumes the next week, Sept. 6, with Music and Missions, as well as children s Bible skills classes, for 3-year-olds through sixth graders. Dinner will resume in Koinonia Café this week, with food service from 5 to 6 p.m. each week. This Wednesday at Wilshire The fall Wednesday evening schedule resumes this week with resident-led vespers worship on Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. in McIver Chapel. All are invited. The Wednesday noon Bible study will be led by Kevin Sinclair on Matthew 26:6 13, All in on Jesus: The Anointing at Bethany. Koinonia Café Aug. 30 (noon and evening): Sausage jambalaya, herb-roasted chicken, corn casserole, green beans, red beans with ham, grilled sweet potatoes. forming for this fall, and space remains open in two of these: Thursdays from noon to 2 p.m. and Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. To sign up, contact Katie Murray at kmurray@wilshirebc.org. Two new Wednesday night classes On Wednesday evening, Sept. 6, two new three-week studies for adults begin. Called to Community, a threeweek film-based course on spirituality will led by Pastoral Residents Aaron Coyle-Carr and Matt Dodrill. Walking with God: Aligning Our Daily Steps with the Divine, exploring classic spiritual disciplines, will be taught by Katie Murray and Timothy Peoples. Join New Song New Song, Wilshire s senior adult community choir, will start back on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 9 a.m. with a time of refreshments and fellowship before the 9:30 rehearsal. All interested singers are welcome. The choir sings in the community once a month and about every six weeks in Wilshire s 8:30 a.m. worship. The choir also will sing in Branson, Mo., in April. To learn more, contact Sarah Stafford at sstafford@wilshirebc.org or (214) 452-3121. Free computer classes New members: Karen Cotter, Camille Tindle, Bill Backhaus. Congratulations to: Torre and Carlos Capistran on the birth of their daughter, Luna Capistran, Aug. 19. A few spaces left in Companions A new semester of Wilshire s free computer education classes will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 12, with a group registration for PC classes and classes for ipads, iphones and Android devices. To register, attend one of two sessions, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. or from 6 to 8 p.m. in Room 3103. For more information, contact Max Post at (214) 823-6733. Four Companions in Christ small groups are 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
Join Sanctuary Choir Now is the time to join Wilshire s Sanctuary Choir. Rehearsals resume on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at 7 p.m. in Choral Hall. All interested singers are welcome. Fall Adventurers events All senior adults are invited to a program and fun day on Sept. 19, beginning at 10:30 a.m. The guest speaker will be Jerry McElveen, poet laureate of Richland College, who will read his poetry, both humorous and serious, and tell stories about his life. Lunch will be served after the program, and table games will be offered after lunch. No reservation is needed. Then, on Oct. 16, the Adventurers will take a group outing to the Dallas Arboretum, departing the church on a chartered bus at 10 a.m. and returning around 1:30 p.m. A picnic lunch will be provided. There is no cost for this outing, but reservations are needed. Make sure you re here on this date C.S. Lewis one-man show Direct from Broadway, a one-man show about the life of C.S. Lewis is coming to Richardson next month. The Most Reluctant Convert is performed by award-winning actor Max McLean. A Wilshire group will see this 90-minute show on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 4 p.m. at the Eiseman Center. For ticket information, contact Mark Wingfield at mwingfield@wilshirebc.org. While planning your fall calendar, mark Sunday, Oct. 29, as a day not to be absent from Wilshire. On that day, we ll have Sunday School as usual but one combined worship service at 11:00, which will be a hymn sing with a twist. We ll record a live album of congregational singing, Hymns We Love. Make sure you re part of the congregational choir that day. And plan to stay after worship for an all-church luncheon. Affinity Group luncheons today Anyone interested in joining one of four lunch conversations today is invited to Community Hall at noon. Lunch will be provided for a suggested donation of $8 per person. School engagement Are you currently serving in your child s school? Are you part of a local PTA or tutoring program? Would you like to get more involved in schoolbased volunteering or are you passionate about public education? Join the conversation about the challenges and joys of serving within schools. Facilitator: Heather Mustain. Becoming empty nesters What s the best advice for adjusting to the sudden reality of being at home with no children? What questions do you have about this new stage of life? Whether you re just now experiencing the empty nest or you ve done that already and have tips to share, join this conversation. Facilitators: Jennifer and Chad Madding. Becoming first-year school parents Are you sending a child off to school for the first time this year? Have you recently been in that position and have some tips to share? Join in a conversation among parents who are walking in the same path. Facilitators: Paula and Jason Woodbury. I m new to Wilshire Have you come to Wilshire in the past year or so? Would you like to meet some others of all ages and life stages who are new to Wilshire? Come to the table and meet new friends. Facilitator: Mark Wingfield. 9
Wilshire calendar Sunday, August 27 Promotion Sunday Morning worship 8:30 a.m. Sunday School 9:40 a.m. Kindergarten worship education 11:00 a.m. Morning worship 11:00 a.m. Meet and greet with guests noon Affinity Group luncheon noon Children s Sunday School teachers noon Youth Choir 4:00 p.m. Paradiso 5:00 p.m. Monday, August 28 42 Monday 10:00 a.m. Senior women s exercise class 2:00 p.m. Deacons meal and meeting 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 29 Stephen Ministry leaders noon Yoga class 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, August 30 Koinonia Café 11:00 a.m. Noon Bible study noon Koinonia Café 5:00 p.m. Pathways Vespers 6:00 p.m. Yoga class 6:15 p.m. Watershed 6:30 p.m. Sanctuary Choir 7:00 p.m. Thursday, August 31 Knit Unto Others 1:30 p.m. Senior women s exercise class 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 2 Sunday, September 3 Morning worship 8:30 a.m. Sunday School 9:40 a.m. Morning worship 11:00 a.m. Youth Choir 4:00 p.m. Paradiso 5:00 p.m. Monday, September 4 Church closed in observance of Labor Day Tuesday, September 5 42 Monday 10:00 a.m. Yoga class 12:15 p.m. 10 Stephen Ministry contin. educ. 6:30 p.m. Stephen Min. supervision 6:30 p.m. Vision 20/20 Coord. Council 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 6 Koinonia Café 11:00 a.m. Noon Bible study noon Koinonia Café 5:00 p.m. Music & Missions 6:00 p.m. Spiritual disciplines class 6:00 p.m. Called to Community class 6:00 p.m. MOPS Steering 6:00 p.m. Committee on Committees 6:00 p.m. Companions in Christ 6:00 p.m. Cord of Three prayer group 6:15 p.m. Yoga class 6:15 p.m. Watershed 6:30 p.m. Sanctuary Choir 7:00 p.m. Thursday, September 7 Wilshire Adventurers to Williamsburg The Bridge/Stew Pot 11:15 a.m. Women s Brown Bag Book Club noon Knit Unto Others 1:30 p.m. Senior women s exercise class 2:00 p.m. Friday, September 8 Wilshire Adventurers to Williamsburg Preschool ice cream on playground 2:45 p.m. Adoption and Foster Care event 6:30 p.m. Marriage Connections 6:30 p.m. Single Parents Night Out 6:30 p.m. Saturday, September 9 Wilshire Adventurers to Williamsburg Sunday, September 10 Wilshire Adventurers to Williamsburg Morning worship 8:30 a.m. Sunday School 9:40 a.m. Morning worship 11:00 a.m. Turquoise Tables sharing luncheon noon Deacon Nominating Committee noon Nova 2:30 p.m. Carillon Ringers 4:00 p.m. Youth Choir 4:00 p.m. Paradiso 5:00 p.m.
Jazz series moves to Wilshire A 20-year tradition in Dallas jazz is moving to Wilshire this year, with a full season of free community concerts open to the public. Tuesday Nite Jazz brought the best in jazz and blues home to its roots in the African American church by presenting free Tuesday concerts in the historic sanctuary of St. Paul United Methodist Church a room that once hosted Louis Armstrong. Now, the longestrunning free jazz series in Dallas is doubling its seating capacity with a move to Wilshire s Sanctuary, symbolizing the partnership that already exists between Wilshire and historic black congregations in the city. Renamed JazzStand on Abrams, the series will begin its 21st season at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, with a big band show featuring the Brad Leali Jazz Orchestra under the direction of University of North Texas Professor of Jazz Saxophone Brad Leali. The program will be complemented by jazz vocalist Cynthia Scott. From 1989 to 1994, Brad Leali was lead alto saxophonist for the Harry Connick Jr. Orchestra, serving as its musical director from 1990 to 1994. In 1995, he joined the Count Basie Orchestra. Leali has been a staple in legendary jazz venues like the Village Vanguard, Blue Note, Jazz Standard, Iridium, and Birdland. He performs annually as part of the Kennedy Center Honors program. Cynthia Scott s artistry spans jazz, blues, R&B, and Gospel. Overseas, she has performed in Africa, Europe and Asia. She has worked with Wynton Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr., as well as Lionel Hampton and Cab Calloway in their last performing years. In New York, she has headlined at Birdland, Iridium and Dizzy s Club Coca Cola. As a 2004 U.S. Jazz Ambassador, she toured Benin, Gabon, Nigeria, Ghana, Togo and France for the U.S. State Department in conjunction with the Kennedy Center. Series artistic director Robert Swann describes Wilshire as a welcoming home for an eclectic musical program. Wilshire found its niche in Dallas as a church that is open and respectful to differences in worldview within a traditional worship format, he said. The Wilshire Way succeeds when people with differing or conflicting views find a common home and agree to be in conversation with one another. It is challenged when anyone falls into the belief that everyone else sees the world exactly as he or she does. The Wilshire Way is like jazz, where everybody s got something to say, in their own particular way, added Lynette DeBose, executive director of JazzStand on Abrams. Although the concerts are free, advance registration is requested through the website, jazzstand.org.
Wilshire is cosponsoring an evening with Jen Hatmaker and Nichole Nordeman at SMU s McFarlin Auditorium on Oct. 25. Tickets are available at www.itickets.com/ events/385064 or through a link at wilshirebc. org/registration. Because of the expected appeal of this event, normal Wednesday evening events for preschoolers and children will be cancelled that night. Watershed for youth and Sanctuary Choir will continue to meet as usual. The format of this program will be a blend of music, stories and conversation. Doors will open at 6 p.m., with the program beginning at 7 p.m. Jen Hatmaker is the author of bestselling titles Of Mess and Moxie and For the Love and nine other books. She is a blogger, a pastor s wife, a mother and a public speaker based in Austin. Her newest book, Of Mess and Moxie, is the inspiration for this fall s tour with Nichole Nordeman. In this book, she argues that backbone is the birthright of every woman. Women, she says, have been demonstrating resiliency and resolve since the beginning of time and have strong shoulders to bear loss, hope, grief and vision. In her writing, Jen offers hilarious tales and hope for the woman who has forgotten her moxie. Whether discussing change ( Everyone, be into this thing I m into! Except when I m not. Then everyone be cool. ) or the time she drove to the wrong city for a fourth-grade field trip ( Why are we in San Antonio? ), she parlays her own triumphs and tragedies into a sigh of relief for all normal, fierce women women who, like her, sometimes hide in the car eating crackers but also want to get back up and get back out to live undaunted in the moment no matter what the moments hold. Nichole Nordeman has sold more than 1 million albums and won nine Dove Awards, including two awards for Female Vocalist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. The video of Slow Down struck a chord with parents everywhere, amassing more than 20 million views. Her songs chronicle the journey, the ups and downs of life, and not looking back with regret but with thankfulness that God was there at every turn. In this evening experience with Jen and Nichole, participants will laugh, swap stories, share struggles, breathe, listen, stand with one another, and silence the voices of regret. And they ll recognize that every part of life s journey every broken place is leading to a bigger, more beautiful story.