Tapestry. Vision Day paves the way. 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 61 No. 33 u August 25, 2013 Vision Day paves the way About 360 adults and youth participated in Vision Day at Wilshire last Sunday. New friends were made, heartwarming stories were shared, and hopes for the future of the church emerged through the process. I came to Vision 20/20 with a somewhat poor and skeptical attitude last Sunday, one participate wrote afterward. I thought it was just another church activity, but I was wrong. After two and a half hours of conversation with young and old, and new and newer members of our church, I was amazed at how like-minded we were. Surprise at the joy of sharing stories with one another became a theme of the morning. A data team is working to sort and analyze all the input, which combined with about 80 people who already had done the interviews in advance totals more than 430 contributions and rising. Leadership teams for Vision 20/20 will begin planning this week for three upcoming SOAR Summits. At these summits, anyone interested is invited to help shape plans sorted into three big buckets: Build Our Community, Build the Kingdom, and Build the Future. If you missed Vision Day and have not been interviewed, it s not too late to participate. A special team of trained volunteers is ready to conduct one-on-one interviews by phone or in person over the next two weeks. To be contacted by the interview team, notify Associate Pastor Mark Wingfield of your interest at mwingfield@ wilshirebc.org or (214) Today 8:30 a.m. Worship 9:40 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Worship 12:00 p.m. Finance Comm Room 1205-H 3:45 p.m. Shekinah 4:45 p.m. Youth Choir and Paradiso Choral Hall 5:00 p.m. Nova Monday, Aug :00 a.m. 42 Monday Room 1205-G 6:30 p.m. Deacons meal and meeting 7:00 p.m. Wilshire Winds Choral Hall Tuesday, Aug :30 a.m. Adventurers program with AChord Trio Wednesday, Aug :30 a.m. Koinonia Café 12:00 p.m. Meet the new residents 5:00 p.m. Vision 20/20 core team Room :00 p.m. Koinonia Café 6:00 p.m. Overview of fall classes 6:00 p.m. Music and Missions 6:00 p.m. Coffee and Conversation for inquirers Pastor s Study 6:30 p.m. Watershed Youth Center 7:00 p.m. Sanctuary Choir Choral Hall See the full church calendar online at wilshirebc.org.

2 Discovery Our Vision 20/20 conversations last Sunday produced testimonies of gratitude beyond our expectations but right in line with our hopes. We saw people enter the room with questions on their faces and tension in their shoulders. In a few short minutes, they relaxed into the exercise, and the decibel level rose in the room as people were having fun sharing their stories. Our approach is called appreciative inquiry. AI, for short, assumes that organizations (and people) change in the direction of their most frequently asked questions. As Cameron Harder, the author of Discovering the Other, says about AI, Positive questions (such as What s working? ) create positive change; negative questions (such as What s wrong? ) generate blaming and discouragement. Our experience backs that up. One report from Sunday: I came to Vision 20/20 with a somewhat poor and skeptical attitude. I thought it was just another church activity. But I was wrong. After two and a half hours of conversation with young and old, and new and newer members of our church, I was amazed how like-minded we were toward Wilshire. Not only on the same page for our past but looking forward to our church By George! future. Whoever put this together has done a great work. We shall continue to be givers as well as takers. A member of 30 years said she sat with another member of 30 years whom she didn t know! They really met for the first time and moved beyond what the sociologist Robert Putnam has called familiar strangers. Kathy Alverson, who has helped in this process, commented, Beyond the strategic experience (of determining mission steps ahead), I believe this will be the true surprise. An Indian village that was suffering social and economic ills began to turn around within one year of this AI discovery channel. With all the changes they made that led to remarkable, sustainable gains in wellbeing, when asked about the best thing that had happened for her in that year, a villager replied, The best thing is that we found each other. The goals and objectives that come out of this are ultimately less important than the deepening and broadening of relationships. We are, after all, building a community of faith shaped by the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Strategically, Music and Missions resumes A new year of Music and Missions for preschoolers and children will begin at Wilshire on Wednesday, Aug. 28. This midweek program during the school year offers a vibrant place for learning about music, worship, missions and the world s peoples. All children are welcome to participate. Music and Missions meets on Wednesdays from 6 to 7:25 p.m. every week except Thanksgiving week, spring break week and during the Christmas holiday. In the preschool division, children who are 3 years old through kindergarteners (by Sept. 1, 2013) participate in age-graded choirs, followed by missions education. Child care is provided for infants through 2-year-olds while their parents are involved in adult classes, leadership or committee meetings during this time. In the children s division, first through third graders participate in graded choirs, followed by Bible skills training. Fourth through sixth graders meet together for choir and then divide into graded groups for Globetrekkers, a creative mission education program. Age or grade Sign in here Pick up here 3-year-olds Room 1306 Room 1304 Pre-K Room 1312 Room 1314 Kindergarten Room 1350 Room 1350 First grade Room 2230 Room 2226 Second grade Room 2225 Room 2221 Third grade Room 2220 Room 2224 Fourth grade Choral Hall Room 2223 Fifth grade Choral Hall Room 2350 Sixth grade Choral Hall Room 2316 Instrumental groups open Wilshire s instrumental music groups are gearing up for a new season, and interested participants are invited to join. Three handbell groups for children and youth are open to wide participation. A beginning bells group for children in grades three through six will meet on Wednesdays from 5 to 5:35 p.m. in Room 2220 and will be led by Shana Hardin. The first meeting is Sept. 11. A children s bell group for fourth through sixth graders with at least one year of experience also will meet on Wednesdays from 5 to 5:25 p.m., but in the Handbell Room. This group will be led by Sarah Stafford. Youth in grades seven through 12 are invited to the youth handbell group, which will meet on Sundays from 6:20 to 7 p.m. in the Handbell Room, under the direction of Jeff Brummel. Wilshire Wind Symphony, directed by James Feltenberger, resumes weekly rehearsals tomorrow, Aug. 26, at 7 p.m. in Choral Hall. Anyone who plays a wind instrument is invited to participate. 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 Wednesday evenings offer new options Church is the Wednesday night place to be. Full Wednesday evening programming returns to Wilshire this week, on Aug. 28, including classes for preschoolers, children and youth plus several new options for adults. Koinonia Café resumes this week, with full dinner service in Community Hall running from 5 to 6:15 p.m. After dinner this week, a preview of all Wednesday options will be offered, setting the stage for the weeks ahead. Come learn about new options, what s planned for old favorites and celebrate the new year. One new option that will run only four weeks in September is a special class taught by Minister of Missions Heather Mustain. She will draw from the Tim Keller book Generous Justice to explore the balance between justice and compassion and the role of grace to mediate between the two poles. If you ve ever wondered where s the line between personal responsibility and compassionate help for those in need, this class will engage your imagination. If you re torn between wanting to be generous and wanting to be prudent, this class will help you understand what the Bible says. Advance registration is not required for this class; just show up. Copies of the book will be available for purchase. Beginning Sept. 4, Senior Pastor George Mason and the pastoral residents will launch a series of short-term Bible studies in Community Hall. The first, running the four weeks of September, will explore ways the Old Testament shows up in the New Testament. A second series, running the first two weeks of October, will examine the Old Testament characters of Elijah, Elisha and Nathan in the times of the kings and prophets. A seven-week Living Your God-given Strengths Class also will begin Sept. 4. This class, uniquely crafted at Wilshire, draws upon the Gallup StrengthsFinder assessment to help each participant identify his or her top five strengths and how to harness those effectively. Class size is limited, so advance registration is required. Register at or in the front office. Koinonia Café Aug. 28 Christine s lasagna, piccata Milanese, glazed carrots, creamed spinach, squash medley, ciabatta, antipasta, Italian cream cake Sept. 4 Honey-glazed ham, Mom s Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, smothered green beans, fresh corn on the cob, oven-brown rolls, Southern-style coleslaw, cream cheese cake. Sept. 11 Sour cream chicken enchiladas, beef or vegetable fajitas, Mexican-style rice, spiced pinto beans, cut white and yellow corn, Texas cornbread, quinoa and vegetable salad, sopapillas with honey. Sept. 18 Lemon chicken, beef or three-cheese ravioli, roasted new potatoes, buttered green peas, green bean casserole, garlic bread, dill tomato salad, lemon cream cake. Sept. 25 Roast pork loin, stuffed bell peppers, garlic mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, creamed spinach, Parker House rolls, dill cucumber salad, double chocolate cake. Wednesday evening options for adults Option One: Option Two Option Three Option Four Other Traditional Bible Study Short-term clsss Short-term class Disciple Occasional Aug. 28 ALL-CHURCH EVENT: OVERVIEW OF OFFERINGS FOR Sept. 4 Old Testament Living Your Strengths Generous Justice Disciple Study New Member in the New Testemant Fellowship Brown Bag Book Club Sept. 11 Old Testament Living Your Strengths Generous Justice Disciple Study in the New Testemant Sept. 18 Old Testament Living Your Strengths Generous Justice Disciple Study in the New Testemant Sept. 25 Old Testament Living Your Strengths Generous Justice Disciple Study in the New Testemant Oct. 2 Kings & Prophets: Living Your Strengths Disciple Study Brown Bag Elijah, Elisha & Nathan Book Club Oct. 9 Kings & Prophets: Living Your Strengths Disciple Study Elijah, Elisha & Nathan Oct. 16 Kings & Prophets: Living Your Strengths Disciple Study Elijah, Elisha & Nathan Oct. 23 ALL-CHURCH CONFERENCE AND CELEBRATION Disciple Study Oct. 30 Violence in the Bible Forgiveness Group Voice Disciple Study Class for Adults Wednesday noon Bible study returns for fall After a summer series of This is My Story testimonies, regular Bible study is on its way back to the Wednesday noon program in Community Hall. Everyone is invited to the midday edition of Koinonia Café, with lunch served from 11:30 forward, and a Bible study running from noon to 1 p.m., taught by Senior Pastor George Mason and the pastoral residents. This Wednesday, new residents Britt Carlson and Brent Newberry will be introduced. Beginning Sept. 4, George and Britt and Brent will lead a four-week study on ways the Old Testament shows up in the New Testament. New Song, Wilshire s senior adult community choir, will resume regular Wednesday rehearsals on Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. 3

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6 Who s a minister? You are By Jon Smither Stephen Ministry Leader 6 We Are All Ministers. I ve just read a book that had the above as a chapter title. In the first paragraph, Michael Green, an English pastor, was quoted as saying, The New Testament has no idea of a Christian who isn t a minister. That really got me thinking. I know my ministry begins when I wake up, but it really starts when I walk out my door. My neighborhood is very diverse, and because I have four dogs to walk, I m outside a lot. This gives me the opportunity to see and be seen by my neighbors. The bus stop on my corner is also a great place to meet and visit people. I know that ministering can be as simple as acknowledging someone with a smile or a hello because I have seen the effect it can have on a person. It can bring a smile, a comment or an entire conversation. I am always amazed at what I find out about people and how open they can sometimes be to sharing. Granted, not all people are as willing to share as others, but I don t give up on them, either. I am guilty of judging people before I know them, and putting myself out there has helped me to understand that most people like to be acknowledged and each person has a story to tell. I hear stories of every day events, joys, misfortunes, and even sadness and sorrows come out. To tell people something and have them listen to me can do a world of good. By giving a word of encouragement, letting them know they are not alone, sharing their hopes, receiving handshakes and hugs, I realize they are ministering to me as well. I look forward to going out just to see who I may run into: a new person passing through, my neighbors across the street, my next-door neighbor, someone I haven t seen in a while. Matthew 22:37-38 says, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it: Love your neighbor as yourself. God has certainly put me at a wonderful crossroads to put these commandments into practice. And who is my neighbor? Anyone and everyone. Adventurers 2014 cruise offers savings A group already is forming to fill out the Wilshire Adventurers 2014 fall trip, a cruise on Holland America Line from Seward, Alaska, to Vancouver, British Columbia. Any interested adult is invited to join the fellowship, and there are discount incentives for early registration. To make a reservation or update an existing reservation in the group, follow these simple steps: x Call x Press 2 for all other callers. x Press 2 to speak with a Holland America reservations agent. x Press 1 if you are calling for group reservations for eight or more staterooms. x Provide the following information to the reservation representative: Group Code is TPL; Voyage Code is O461; Group Name is Mark s Group. Another option is to send an to Elaine Hohenstein at EHohenstein@Holland America.com, and set up an appointment for her to call and personally walk you through the booking. The group will fly in to Anchorage on Saturday, Sept. 6, spend a night in Anchorage, then ride the train from Anchorage to Seward on Sunday, Sept. 7, to board the mss Oosterdam. Destinations include Glacier Bay National Park; Haine, Alaska; Juneau, Alaska; Ketchican, Alaska; and cruising the Inside Passage en route to Vancouver, where the cruise ends. Base cost for the seven-day cruise (based on double occupancy) ranges from $1,029 to $1,689 per person depending on cabin choices. The Oosterdam boasts a large number of verandah cabins with private balconies at discounted rates. Additional costs include about $150 in taxes, the cost of round-trip airfare (estimated at $600), one night s lodging in Anchorage, plus $164 for the train ride and airport transfer in Vancouver. The cruise line fee is all inclusive of lodging, entertainment and food. Shore excursions may be booked for an additional fee at each passenger s discretion. The airfare and Anchorage lodging components cannot yet be booked. More information on these components will be available after the middle of October. A current promotion by Holland America offers halfprice deposits, free signature beverage packages and a free specialty restaurant dinner. Brochures detailing the cruise are available in the church office and in older adult Sunday School classes. Briefly... x Nova seeks singers. Nova, Wilshire s adult vocal chamber ensemble, is seeking interested singers. The group sings once a month for worship and rehearses on Sunday evenings from 5 to 6:15 p.m. The new year begins Aug. 25. Parents of Youth Choir members could bring their students to choir and then come up to the third floor for Nova. Contact Jeff Brummel at jbrummel@ wilshirebc.org. x Mustain ordinations. Both Heather and Chad Mustain will be ordained to the gospel ministry by First Baptist Church of Waco on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 5 p.m. Heather is Wilshire s new minister of missions. All Wilshire congregants are invited to the ordination. x Class for newly marrieds. Wilshire s Beginnings Class, a six-week group for nearly married or newly married couples, will meet on Sundays from Sept. 8 through Oct. 13. The class meets during the Sunday School hour, from 9:40 to 10:40 a.m. Topics include communication, family of origin issues, conflict resolution, finances, spirituality in a marriage, and understanding the five love languages. To register, or for more information, contact Tiffany Wright, minister for care ministries, at (214) or twright@ wilshirebc.org. New members: Brent Newberry Britt Carlson Ed Hobbs Linda Hobbs Steven Hobbs Walker Stinson Haynes Stinson Stephanie Harmon

7 I Am Wilshire Alison Almaguer Alison Almaguer, who was recently married to Pastoral Resident Austin Almaguer, shares several ministry goals with him. For example, We re open to being copastors, she said. She specifically feels called to innercity and prison ministries (in which she already has significant experience) as well as preaching and teaching ministries, and her varied experiences have prepared her for a number of other ministry opportunities. Born in Dallas, Alison graduated from W.T. White High School. Beginning in kindergarten, she participated in talent shows and sang Amy Grant songs in school and church. She loved riding horses, and at age 8 she began attending horse camps, where she learned barrel racing and ways to care for horses. When she had to choose between horses and gymnastics, she chose gymnastics, but eventually she got too tall for gymnastics. In high school Alison was a cheerleader and varsity cheerleading captain. She also sang in the show choir and the gospel choir, which had a majority of African-American students. We performed musicals that students wrote, she said. She also served on the student council and was prom queen and junior class president, and she was class vice president as a senior. As a child she told her parents she was going to be a preacher when she grew up. Starting in eighth grade, she led worship for youth. Later she was involved in Disciple- Now, discipled younger girls and led Bible studies at Northway Baptist Church. After high school graduation in 2006, Alison enrolled at Baylor University, where she majored in speech communications and minored in religion. My dad said that if I wanted a career in ministry, I should double it, and I always enjoyed speaking, she explained. She also was involved in the Baylor Disciplinary Core, an honors program that Austin also participated in. We read primary texts in philosophy, history and religion, she said. Alison belonged to a Christian sorority, which she served as chaplain one year. She also served an internship at Highland Baptist Church, working alongside the assistant pastor. She worked with innercity children after school, and after studying Spanish in high school and at Baylor, she expanded her skills by taking Spanish in Costa Rica one summer. In her junior year, Alison spent a semester studying religion in Edinburgh, Scotland. I also traveled a lot with two friends, she said. We toured France, Spain, Italy and Ireland. She was involved in Destiny Church in Waco, where she taught hip-hop and rap music as well as Bible studies in an after-school youth program. This experience solidified the decision that I wanted to go to seminary, she said. After college graduation in 2010, Alison chose Duke University for her graduate program. I looked at a few programs and fell in love with Duke the trees, ponds and trails. I also loved the professors, the academic rigor and the spirituality, she said. In my master of divinity program, I focused on racial reconciliation, she added. She became involved in the Center for Reconciliation, which focuses on inner-city ministry. She also worked in Washington, D.C., at the Church of the Savior, where the late Gordon Crosby was pastor. There she also worked in an AIDS hospice and soup kitchen for the homeless. In the summer of 2012, Alison worked at a church in Guatemala and took classes and preached and taught in El Salvador. During her last year at Duke, she worked at Antioch Baptist Church in Red Oak, Va., where a woman was pastor. I drove up on Saturday or early on Sunday morning, she explained. I preached and did Bible studies with youth every Sunday afternoon. She was ordained there last year. Alison and Austin met through friends at a football game in 2011, when he was in seminary at Princeton University and she was at Duke. He asked for my phone number, and we began a long-distance relationship, she said. They drove from North Carolina to New Jersey or vice versa, and they communicated via telephone and Skype. In October of last year, after talking to my dad, Austin proposed, and we were married this July 6 in The Woodlands, Texas, where his family lives. George Mason officiated, she said. After graduating from Duke on May 11 this year, Alison worked at a day care facility at Northhaven Cooperative through a Methodist church in Dallas. Tomorrow, she begins a year-long Clinical Pastoral Education residency at Parkland Hospital. As a chaplain she will be assigned to specific areas of the hospital in three-month rotations. By the numbers Financial report for Aug. 18 Weekly Ministry Fund projected... $49,111 Weekly Ministry Fund received... $41,506 Annual Ministry Fund projected... $385,288 Annual Ministry Fund received... $473,481 Annual ahead/behind... $88,193 Crossings campaign this week...$1,169 Crossings campaign total received... $3,380,068 Pathways Endowment this week... $1,125 Pathways Endowment total received... $1,980,041 Special missions for year... $11,844 Sunday School Aug. 18 Officers Preschool Children Youth Young adult...76 Median adult Senior adult Total present Total previous week Total last year Condolences to: Family and friends on the death of Elaine Greer, Aug. 16. Helen Fratena on the death of her father, Shirley Foster, Aug. 17. Vicki and Kent Newsom on the death of her nephew, Chas. Kenton and Mary Keller on the death of Kenton s father, John Keller, Aug

8 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) and the three-digit extension: Pastoral offices George Mason (132) Debby Burton (132) Mark Wingfield (128) Kathi Lyle (130) Pathways to Ministry Geri McKenzie (159) John Jay Alvaro (154) Austin Almaguer (155) Brent Newberry (152) Britt Carlson (153) Business offices Paul Johnson (157) Teresa M. Newtown (131) Susan Kimball (108) Dale Pride (101) Sandy Allen (150; sgallen) Lauren Crain (111) Age-graded ministries Jessica Capps (129) Darren DeMent (102) Julie Girards (103) Joan Hammons (141) Holly Irvin (106) Care ministries Tiffany Wright (107) Debby Burton (132) Missions offices Heather Mustain (110) Sandy Allen (150) Music offices Doug Haney (123) Sarah Stafford (121) Barbara Clayton (125) Jeff Brummel (122) Food services John Jost (117) Weekday Education Mary Browder (115) Parish nurse Linda Garner (151) Library Jeri Baker (114) Wilshire Baptist Church 4316 Abrams Rd Dallas TX George Gagliardi and the AChord Trio Tuesday, Aug. 27 Passport to Adventure 10:30 a.m. in Community Hall Musical transports you around the world Stay for lunch for $6, then table games No reservation required; just show up State Fair Day Thursday, Oct. 10 Join the Adventurers at the State Fair Senior adults get in free this day Ride DART to the Fair An afternoon with Ken Medema Thursday, Oct. 17 Your Story in Hymns Noon luncheon followed by program Community Hall JFK tour with Helen Fratena Thursday, Nov. 7 On the 50th anniversary of the assassination, travel to the key sites with an expert tour narrated by our own Helen Fratena. Depart church at 9:30 a.m. on motor coach.cost is $30 per person (lunch on your own). Tickets on sale Sept. 11. PERIODICALS RATE Adventurers Christmas Dinner Thursday, Dec. 6 Community Hall Entertainment by Linda Freeland, a Patsy Cline impersonator Watch for more details soon Porgy and Bess at the Winspear Thursday, Dec. 12, 2 p.m. performance Enjoy the touring Broadway production of this American classic Excellent seats at $70 per person Visit to Bush Presidential Center Thursday, Jan. 16 Meet at the church for 1 p.m. departure on bus that will drop you at the front door. Cost is $10 per person. Return to church by 3:15 p.m. Trip to Crystal Bridges Museum April 1-3 Join the Adventurers on a three-day trip to Bentonville, Ark., to see the Crystal Bridges Museum, the Walmart Visitor Center and more. 8