Note: This page is generally updated on Fridays.

Keep Watch: Advent 2024 
Advent begins Sunday, Dec. 1. See everything we have planned at wilshirebc.org/advent.

Sign up kids to build Nativity
Elementary school children are invited to help build the Sanctuary Nativity scene by carrying elements to the chancel at the start of worship. We’ll begin Dec. 1 and build the scene week by week until it is complete at the 4 p.m. Christmas Eve service. Sign up at wilshirebc.org/nativity.

Christmas Eve: Tuesday, Dec. 24
■ 4 p.m. Christmas Eve family service. Suitable for all ages.
■ 11 p.m. Christmas Eve liturgical service. Includes celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
■ No Sunday School (worship only) on Dec. 29.

Invite for youth alumni
Youth Choir will sing for the 11 p.m. Christmas Eve service, and Youth Choir alumni of all ages are invited to join in. Meet in Choral Hall at 10:20 for coffee, a cookie and a quick rehearsal.

Tree of Remembrance
Help decorate Wilshire’s Tree of Hope and Remembrance in the South Lobby by writing the name of a loved one as a memorial or your name as a survivor of cancer or another disease. Blank ornaments and markers are provided at the tree, which is decorated with bracelets representing different forms of cancer. Hang your ornament on the tree anytime and feel free to take it home close to Christmas for your own tree. 

Advent book study
Join us this season as we read Calling All Angels: an Advent Study of Fearlessness and Strength by Erin Wathen. The book examines four angelic encounters that began with the same refrain, “do not be afraid,” and challenges readers to apply this timeless message to our lives today. The book is available from major book retailers.
■ On Sundays from 9 to 9:45 a.m., Darren DeMent and Katie Murray are leading a discussion group on the book in Room 1205-G.
■ Many Sunday School classes, including Youth, are studying the book during Advent.
■ A family study guide is available for parents to use with children. Pick up a copy in the main office or near the north entrance.

Wednesdays on break
Wednesday Night Live is on a break for the holidays and will resume Jan. 8. Lunch & Learn, regularly held the first and third Wednesdays each month, resumes Jan. 15.

Adventurers Trip
The Wilshire Adventurers will visit Sedona’s Red Rock Country and the Grand Canyon from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, 2025. Space is limited. For early access to registration, express your interest by Dec. 20 at wilshirebc.org/adventurers-trip.

Holiday closures
■ The church building will be closed and staff members on break from Tuesday, Dec. 24, through Thursday, Jan. 2. On Friday, Jan. 3, staffers will return to work but the building will remain closed.
■ If you have an urgent pastoral need over the break, contact Senior Pastor Timothy Peoples at 214-452-3171 or [email protected].
■ The Columbarium will be open Monday, Dec. 23, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 24, 3–6 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 29, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Year-end giving
■ While the church office will be closed starting Dec. 24, checks can be dropped into the secure black mailbox accessible from the south parking lot. Checks in the mailbox will be retrieved in time to count as 2024 giving.
■ Checks sent in the mail need to be postmarked by Dec. 31.
■ Online gifts can be made before midnight on Dec. 31.
■ Stock gifts must arrive in Wilshire’s Fidelity account no later than Dec. 30. Email Lori Gooden for account information and to let her know about the gift.

Next Blood Drive is Jan. 8
Carter BloodCare will be at Wilshire for a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are recommended. Visit wilshirebc.org/events/blood-drive to make an appointment.

Rise Against Hunger on MLK Day
Join us on MLK Day, Monday, Jan. 20, as we partner with Rise Against Hunger to pack healthy meals for those in need. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon in Community Hall. This project is for everyone and includes ways to serve while seated. Children are a great help collecting completed bags with help from a parent. Volunteers are needed to help set up starting at 8:30 a.m. and clean up afterward. Rise Against Hunger’s mission is to create immediate and long-term solutions to hunger by building resilience, self-sufficiency and empowerment in communities worldwide. All volunteers must register and complete a waiver at events.riseagainsthunger.org/wilshirebaptistchurch2025.

Rental assistance program
Wilshire’s rental and utility assistance program is looking for volunteers to meet with those applying for assistance. Training will be held in January. Contact: Associate Pastor Heather Mustain.

Annual Church Conference
Make plans to attend our annual church conference in Community Hall after worship on Sunday, Jan. 26. We’ll adopt a budget, elect deacons and committees and hear updates about the church. Lunch will be provided.

Men’s Book Club 
Wilshire’s Men’s Book Club will discuss Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. in the Parlor. On Feb. 18 the group will discuss Eric Larson’s The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War. The group meets the third Tuesday each month but will not meet in December 2024. Contact: Mike Meripolski or Scott Spreier.

Women of Wilshire 
■ WOW Tuesday Evening Book Club | Jan. 14 | 6:30 p.m. | Parlor | James by Percival Everett.  Contact Debby Burton. 
■ WOW Brown Bag Book Club | Jan. 9 | Noon | 1205-L | The First Ladies by Marie Benedict. Contact Carolyn Murray.
■ Evening knitting group. Anyone who enjoys knitting is invited to Peggy Tinsley’s Garland home one evening each month, usually the third Thursday, to work on their projects in fellowship with others. The group is open to knitters of all skill levels. Contact Sara Tinsley for more details.

Wilshire kitchen is hiring
Over the past few months, Wilshire staff have thought through food service staffing needs to ensure that we are able to provide a meaningful fellowship experience for members and guests when the kitchen is used. To that end, the church is seeking applicants for three food service positions: a full-time sous chef, a part-time prep cook and a part-time floater position. See the job descriptions and application instructions at wilshirebc.org/employment.

Advocacy Action Groups
The 89th Texas Legislature and 119th U.S. Congress convene in January. Consider joining an Advocacy Action Group to receive educational resources and action alerts regarding local, state and national issues. From the Missions and Christian Advocacy Committee. Sign up here >

Adam’s Baskets
Wilshire’s Adam’s Baskets ministry, created in memory of Adam Malcik upon his passing in 1987 by his parents Vy and Michael Malcik, provides members the opportunity to keep our food pantry stocked. Our small pantry meets immediate needs when a neighbor stops by for assistance. Wicker baskets are located around the church, and you can place nonperishable items into a basket at any time. Proteins, peanut butter and pop-top canned goods are most needed. Items are collected from the baskets on the second Sunday each month.

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Hometown: Shreveport, Louisiana
Present City: Dallas
Education: B.F.A., TWU; M.Ed. in elementary education, Texas State University; M.Ed. in administration, Lamar University.
Profession: Office manager for CBIZ, Inc.

Tell us about your family.
In March of 2003, Ted and I celebrated our 6th anniversary, took a very belated honeymoon, found out we were pregnant, and then Ted passed away of undiagnosed heart disease (yes, all in one month). In November 2003, our son Alan was born, and it has been just the two of us ever since. Alan is attending Texas State University in San Marcos. My dad, Robert Fisette, has become very active at Wilshire since my mom, Sue, passed away in 2022. My sister and her family live in Murphy.

How about your work or volunteer life?
Six years ago, I retired after 20 years of teaching and started working for CBIZ as an office manager. It has been a great chapter two in my work life.

Favorite hobbies?
Camping, kayaking, riding my bike and DIY projects.

What are your favorite places to travel?
Places with scenery or history. Most of my travel is in the form of camping.

What brought you to Wilshire and when?
I grew up Baptist, and as a young adult I started visiting Wilshire and joined in 1992. A few years later, I moved off to go to graduate school, met my husband there and we were married by George at Wilshire in 1997. We moved around a bit and finally returned to the Dallas area in 2001. We were not active at church. I returned with full commitment to Wilshire in March of 2003 and haven’t left. My mom joined Wilshire a few years later, and then when Alan was baptized and joined the church, my dad also joined.

Where are you engaged at Wilshire?
I am in the Journey Sunday School Class, have served on several committees and will be serving on the Building and Grounds committee starting next year.

What has surprised you most about Wilshire?
Wilshire never surprises me, but Wilshire always amazes me.

Tell us about your faith journey.
I grew up witnessing the love and faith in God modeled by my church, my grandma and my mom. In good times and bad, I just always turn to God, trusting he has everything under control.

What is something interesting most people would not know about you?
I work part-time as a handywoman.

The post I Am Wilshire: Sheri Brooks appeared first on Wilshire Baptist Church.

For the sixth consecutive year, Friday Friends has received a grant from the AWARE Fund at the Dallas Foundation. The $3,000 grant will be used in 2025 for supplies and to bring in professional programs such as neurologic music therapy and Texas Winds Musical Outreach.

Friday Friends is a Wilshire ministry that provides four hours of respite on two Fridays each month for a family member caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. The program is run by volunteers from the church and the community, and it is funded through grants, the church budget and donations.

The AWARE Fund (awaredallas.org), established in 1989, supports nonprofit programs, projects and research that actively help those affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Our award letter read in part, “AWARE recognizes the important work that your organization is doing in the community and is delighted to partner with you in your efforts. Thank you for the outstanding contribution Wilshire Baptist Church is making in our community.”

The spouse of one of our participants wrote, “I wanted to send a note of thanks to you and the Friday Friends Family for all you do all year to bring joy to our families. We especially appreciate yesterday’s Christmas celebration, the beautiful poinsettia and the very special card that you sent home. We are blessed!”

Friday Friends is proud to have once again met the criteria of the AWARE grant review committee. If you or someone you know who is caring for a loved one with dementia would like to participate in Friday Friends, contact Minister to Senior Adults Katie Murray ([email protected]) or Linda Lyles, Friday Friends outreach coordinator ([email protected]).

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Wilshire, your generosity through our Giving Tree has once again blessed our neighbors. This year, five programs were supported:

• You provided two toys each for 15 children to receive at the Gateway of Grace Christmas party. Gateway supports refugees by meeting their immediate needs and offering ESL classes and children’s programming.

• You shopped from wishlists for the children of Transition Resource Action Center (TRAC) clients. TRAC serves young people ages 16 to 24 who are transitioning out of foster or juvenile care and their unhoused peers.

• You provided coats and toys for 20 clients of Viola’s House, which offers housing and support to mothers facing unplanned pregnancies.

• You donated 20 gift cards for Wilshire to have on hand to assist neighbors who come to the church in need of a little extra help.

• You provided Christmas gifts for 54 children from 18 families supported by Wilshire’s rental and utility assistance program. Several mothers expressed their gratitude, sharing that they would not have been able to provide gifts for their children without this support.

One mother emailed, “I made it home and opened up their gifts and broke out in tears. I want to say thank you so much. This is truly a blessing to me because I had no idea how I was going to make their Christmas happen. We have truly struggled this year. I lost my son at the beginning of 2024 and just had a newborn baby on top of my three angels you all blessed this season. Thank you so much, I am forever grateful.”

Thank you for your continued generosity in making a meaningful difference in the lives of others this holiday season.

The post Giving Tree report appeared first on Wilshire Baptist Church.

By Katie Murray

My 4-year-old son has become rather enthralled with the hymn “Joy to the World” this month. He has taken the phrase “heaven and nature sing” as his personal mantra and sings the song all day, plays it on our music speakers throughout the house, and as a grand finale in the evening, belts it out in his room after we put him to bed. I should add that he only knows the first verse (and refuses to let me teach him the others), so I was grateful when I saw we would be singing the hymn together this morning in its entirety. I’m ready to “repeat the sounding joy” and reflect on the “wonders of his love.”

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we turn our focus onto God’s Love made manifest in the Christ child. We are told in 1 John 4 that it was through God’s action of sending Jesus to live among us that God’s love was revealed. God’s love was nothing new, but Jesus’ birth and life allowed humanity to experience that love in new and profound ways. How wondrous!

This month many of our Sunday School classes have been studying the angelic encounters that preceded the birth of Jesus and how each one held an important contribution for the preparation of Christ’s birth. The choral anthem for today, written from the perspective of an angelic chorus, imagines what it must have been like to announce the coming of God’s Son: “Into one song compress the love, that rules our universe above: sing love, sing love, sing God is love!” What a wondrous task to proclaim such love to the world for the first time. O holy night, indeed!

How might we tap into that wonder this morning? How are we, like the angels in our sacred Scriptures, called to share the Good News? Where might you unexpectedly encounter God’s love in the days leading up to that blessed Christmas morning?

The post Preparing for Worship: Dec. 22, 2024 appeared first on Wilshire Baptist Church.

End of year need: $474,310

Last Saturday my phone kept going off, message after message. On Saturdays I’m a little slow at checking my phone and responding, but after eight messages I decided I better look in case it was a dire emergency. To my surprise it was nothing but joy. It started with a text from LeAnn Hampton; “Hi friends, just remembering a year ago this weekend when Ariel was here for call weekend.” An outpouring of love followed from other search committee members as we reminisced on the past year and the call date a year ago.

It’s hard to believe it was a year ago we called Ariel Merivil to come share his God-given gifts with us misfits here in Dallas. I’m sure every minister on our staff remembers where they were when they got the call from Wilshire and where they were when they received the call from God to local church work.

Calling is a weird thing; as much as we relate the term to ministry, each and all of us are called by God. Whether it’s a role we play, a vocation we live into daily or even the pursuit of justice and wholeness in the world, calling is for all of us.

We are reminded this season of a call on a betrothed young woman and a young carpenter. A call of silence on an old man, Zechariah, and a call of rejoicing, on his wife, Elizabeth. Calling is weird, and it happens to each of us.

Together, we come into this place and live into our calls to better our church and world around us. And part of that call together is in our giving and generosity. Stephen Covey wrote in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, “To be present, growing and serving but not giving is like dragging your leg over the edge of the canoe and wondering why the boat isn’t moving faster.”

Scripture teaches that “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” It is through our financial giving we can carry out our mission and be impactful. You’ve recently heard a lot about our missions outreach and giving, but I want to share some things that have happened within these walls. Just this year we were able to install a new sound system in the chapel, refurbish the library, obtain new video equipment and new toys and supplies for preschool ministry, create a new Pathways hall and even renovate two of the resident houses. This is just a short list. My prayer is that we end this year on a great footing to prepare for all the things we can do in 2025. Let’s fill up this tree, friends!

—Timothy Peoples

The post End of Year Need: Dec. 19, 2024 appeared first on Wilshire Baptist Church.

End of year need: $758,810

One Wednesday night not long ago, I walked down the stairs, and it just seemed quiet. The kiddos were having their usual fun, but something was missing. I walked around Community Hall and even led Bible Study trying to figure out why.

The next Sunday, it hit me. Wilshire Winds was playing beautifully, and Shana was directing like nobody’s business! I looked over the group and saw the usual players and even a couple of new members. It was then tears began to roll down my face as I noticed George Gagliardi wasn’t there — just as he wasn’t at the piano on Wednesday.

It’s been a little quiet without our friend around. A composer and musician, George played and sang many of his songs here at Wilshire. He was involved in the Dallas music scene, and as I learned from his obituary, gospel singer Cynthia Clawson recorded many of George’s songs, including “Words and Music,” nominated for a Dove Award, and “My Finest Hour,” the title track from a Grammy-nominated album. George spent 12 years working with the Spotlight Players program for adults with disabilities at Highland Park United Methodist Church, helping them write songs and stage an original musical annually.

This past year George and I had lunch together, and he told me one of his greatest joys was getting to play on Wednesday nights for all those kids and adults. It seems it was not just a balm for our soul, but even his.

Such a legacy.

On All Saints Day we read the names of those who have passed in the last year. Like George, we could tell of each of their amazing legacies and ways they contributed their heart to Wilshire. Just think about the amazing siblings in Christ who have helped form us and guide us into the love of Christ and the formation of community.

Now I want you to think about how your legacy and generosity is shaping another. Yes, this is a note about giving, and I realize the focus is on financial giving. Please believe me when I say that your financial giving can never replace your presence. We need all aspects of giving — time, money, service and actions — to continue the work of bringing the kingdom of God here on earth. As you and your family prayerfully consider your giving, we want to thank you for your generosity and invite you to continue the work of building God’s bright future for Wilshire Baptist Church and our world.

—Timothy Peoples

Learn more about giving >

The post End of Year Need: Dec. 13, 2024 appeared first on Wilshire Baptist Church.

Wilshire Prayer Notes: Dec. 20

Hospital/Rehab/Hospice:
Shirley, John

Others:
Jane, Melissa, Donna, Kelly, Ethan, Jim, Montgomery, Ivan, Price, Lynnda, Jeri, R.G, Ronnie, Marc, Martha, Patti, Chelsea, Megan, Pat, Lavon, Katherine, Emma, Richard, Linda, Emily, Neil, Sue, Beverley, Bobby, Cathy, Maria, Kathy, Ella, Owen, Emily

Friends and Family concerns:
• Larry, husband of Joan
• Alice, mother-in-law of Shana

Condolences to:
• Camille Riggs on the death of her mother, Jean Burns, Dec. 12
• Ann Marie and Mark Mihm and Jackson Mihm on the death of Spencer Mihm.
• Mary Ann Hill on the death of her husband, Doug Hill, Dec. 10. The Hills are  former longtime Wilshire members.

The post Prayer Notes appeared first on Wilshire Baptist Church.

Hometown: Lewisville
Present City: Dallas

Tell us about your family.
I was the youngest girl in a family of eight. I married A.D. Brown in 1958, and we were married until his death in 2012. I have two adult children, Denise and Alan, five grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

What brought you to Wilshire and when?
A.D. and I were newly married and bought our first home near the church. We visited and immediately felt at home. The people and staff were warm and inviting.

How have you served at Wilshire?
There are very few committees that I have not served on over the years. A.D. and I served together as directors in our adult Sunday School class for many years, and A.D. was a deacon. In the mid-70s Bruce McIver asked me to begin our homebound ministry. I launched the ministry to honor my parents, who I cared for as they aged and had died a few years before. We began with about 60 members, visiting them in their homes, and we served the Lord’s Supper to them. In the mid-80s I became involved in the bus ministry, providing transportation for those who were unable to get to the church. To this day I am still passionate about this ministry and serve on the home-visitation ministry team.

What have you learned through your volunteerism?
Everyone has needs. Some are obvious, but many are not. Our job as members of the body of Christ is to show the Lord’s love through acts of service. It is important to know the spiritual gifts that the Lord has given us and use them. As a young woman I learned so much from those older than me. As I have grown older, I have leaned on those lessons. When I get discouraged, I pick myself up by doing something for someone else. It puts everything in perspective and brings me joy.

What has been your greatest reward?
My greatest reward is knowing that my children, their spouses, my grandchildren (and their spouses) have professed a personal faith in Jesus Christ. There is nothing better.

What would you tell others about Wilshire?
Wilshire is my home. I think of my children’s baptisms, my daughter’s wedding, and my husband’s funeral — all at Wilshire. Through this church community I have made precious lifelong friendships that have carried me through my life. The pastors I have known — Bruce McIver, George Mason and Timothy Peoples — have all cared deeply for the members of this church and have encouraged us to grow while nurturing our faith.

■ Monna will celebrate her 90th birthday on Dec. 29. Join us in wishing her a happy birthday!

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By Abbey Adcox

As Christmas approaches, reminders to be joyful are everywhere. JOY is emblazoned on sweaters, ornaments and wrapping paper, urging us to feel this emotion.

This tinsel-covered joy feels out of reach for me this year. My heart is heavy with grief over systemic inequities, discrimination and the discouraging state of public discourse. I struggle to claim joy.

As our worship this morning reminds us, the other side of joy is fear. I’m doing pretty well holding on to fear. How about you? I’m well-versed, whether it’s fear of failure, fear of what tragedy might befall my family or fear for the futures of my neighbors. How do I, how do we, find hope amid our fear to proclaim the good news of great joy to all?

I’m reminded that Advent joy isn’t happiness or squeals and laughter. It’s a choice — a deep and abiding choice. As author K.J. Ramsey observes, “joy is right on the outer edge of your longings.” It’s a perspective that beckons us to reach beyond the visible, to see the light that endures even in the darkness. The joy of Advent is the kind that doesn’t dismiss the darkness but points us toward the light, encouraging us to trust in God’s presence in the waiting. This echoes our call in Christ — we are, after all, the light of the world. Even the smallest flicker can guide us toward hope and joy.

Barbara Brown Taylor describes joy as “almost irreverent.” She writes, “Joy has never had very much to do with what is going on in the world at the time. The only condition for joy is the presence of God … which means that it can erupt in a depressed economy, in the middle of a war, or in an intensive care waiting room … it is a gift.” Joy transcends circumstances; it thrives in the presence of God.

This Advent, let us look for the light and choose joy — not as a denial of fear or sorrow, but as a declaration of God’s enduring presence and love. In doing so, may we reflect that light into the world, inspiring others to move toward abiding joy with us.

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