August 2, 2020Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

At some point in my conversation with new members, I say something like this: “I believe God has always given us everything we need at every moment to fulfill the mission God has given us as a church.” I then tell them how excited I am to learn what new thing God is asking of us because they have joined us.

I believe that what God requires, God provides. I believe in God’s abundance — something the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 in today’s Gospel lesson points us to. I believe the greatest impediment to our participation with God is the belief either that we are not enough as we are to be used by God, or that we don’t have what we need to make the effort.

For 69 years now, Wilshire has found a way. We like to use the phrase The Wilshire Way to denote equality in status, inclusion in service, generosity in giving, transparency in governance, and courage in spirit. These are marks of the way of Wilshire. By them, we believe we are always able to take up the mission of Wilshire, which is to build a community of faith shaped by the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

The announcement this week that we will (likely) NOT reopen the building for the remainder of 2020 was, as one member put it to me, “expected and yet a dagger in the heart.” We all feel the loss of being physically present with one another. But we have to focus now on what is, not on what we wish were the case — the Now Normal.

In his poem, Wild Geese, Wendell Berry ends this way:

And we pray, notfor new earth or heaven, but to bequiet in heart, and in eye,clear. What we need is here.

Wilshire, what we need is here. We have the one Spirit of God through the living Christ who binds us together. We have one another. We have the mission and the means.

Jesus taught us in the multiplication of loaves and fish miracle to focus on what we have, not on what we don’t have. Then give it, letting God make more of it.

I can’t wait for the leftovers.— George Mason

Preparing for worship

ON THE COVER: The Feeding of the Five Thousand; Jesus Walking on the Water from an Armenian Gospel book. Artist unknown, 1386. Black ink and watercolors on paper. Collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

Wilshire Baptist Church4316 Abrams Road | Dallas, Texas 75214

(214) 452-3100 | wilshirebc.orgPartnered with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Building a Community of Faith Shaped by the Spirit of Jesus Christ

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August 2, 202011:00 a.m.

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Chiming of the Hour

Prelude The King of Love My Shepherd Is arr. Rhett BarnwellCarla Siegesmund, harp

Opening Sentences Miriam McClung

We come to worship. Some of us are empty handed. Some of us are heavy laden. Others of us are doing all that we can to just simply be here. But we know that this is good. We do not have to prepare ourselves for God. We only have to give ourselves to this moment of presence. God is here and that is enough. So let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker. Let us celebrate this God who meets us where we are.

Hymn 459 Come, Share the Lord divernon

Greeting to Worshipers and Invitation to Give Cory Anderson

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Your faithful and generous giving to Wilshire is allowing the church to continue its ministries in new and creative ways. Although we’re not in the building, the work of the church continues. Thank you for giving.

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Reading from the Hebrew Scriptures — Isaiah 55:1–5 Joan Hammons

Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.

This is the word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.

“¡Vengan a las aguas todos los que tengan sed! ¡Vengan a comprar y a comer los que no tengan dinero! Vengan, compren vino y leche sin pago alguno. ¿Por qué gastan dinero en lo que no es pan, y su salario en lo que no satisface? Escúchenme bien, y comerán lo que es bueno, y se deleitarán con manjares deliciosos. Presten atención y vengan a mí, escúchenme y vivirán. Haré con ustedes un pacto eterno, conforme a mi constante amor por David. Lo he puesto como testigo para los pueblos, como su jefe supremo. Sin duda convocarás a naciones que no conocías, y naciones que no te conocían correrán hacia ti, gracias al Señor tu Dios, el Santo de Israel, que te ha colmado de honor.”

Esta es la palabra del Señor.Gracias a Dios.

Prayers of the People Aaron Coyle-Carr

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our sins,As we forgive those who sin against us;

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

and the glory forever. Amen.

Anthem God So Loved the World John Stainer/arr. Ralph Manuel Nova

Recorded October 6, 2019Bill Jernberg, accompanist

Gospel Reading — Matthew 14:13–21 Lori Haney

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was

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evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

This is the word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.

Cuando Jesús recibió la noticia, se retiró él solo en una barca a un lugar solitario. Las multitudes se enteraron y lo siguieron a pie desde los poblados. Cuando Jesús desembarcó y vio a tanta gente, tuvo compasión de ellos y sanó a los que estaban enfermos. Al atardecer se le acercaron sus discípulos y le dijeron: — Este es un lugar apartado y ya se hace tarde. Despide a la gente, para que vayan a los pueblos y se compren algo de comer. — No tienen que irse — contestó Jesús — Denles ustedes mismos de comer. Ellos objetaron: — No tenemos aquí más que cinco panes y dos pescados. — Tráiganmelos acá — les dijo Jesús. Y mandó a la gente que se sentara sobre la hierba. Tomó los cinco panes y los dos pescados y, mirando al cielo, los bendijo. Luego partió los panes y se los dio a los discípulos, quienes los repartieron a la gente. Todos comieron hasta quedar satisfechos, y los discípulos recogieron doce canastas llenas de pedazos que sobraron. Los que comieron fueron unos cinco mil hombres, sin contar a las mujeres y a los niños.

Esta es la palabra del Señor.Gracias a Dios.

Message “The Miracle of Abundance” George MasonFirst in a series, Miracles: Signs of the New Creation

Celebration of the Lord’s Supper Heather Mustain

All followers of Christ are invited to partake of the Lord’s Supper, whether you are a Wilshire member or not. Today, you are invited to gather whatever elements

you have at home to join in the communion of the saints at the Lord’s Table.

The Passing of the Peace

May the peace of the Lord be always with you.And also with you.

Sharing of Decisions George Mason

Benediction George Mason

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Affirmation of Faith New Doxology old 100th, alt. Text: Paula Meador Testerman

Postlude We Are One in Christ arr. David Cherwien

As the bread of life is broken, the cup of love outpoured, we are one in Christ, our Savior, and sent to serve the Lord.

—James Chepponis

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Meet today’s worship leadersCory Anderson and his wife, Amy, joined Wilshire in 1997. They are members of Avodah Class and are the parents of Bryn, a college freshman, and Whit, a seventh grader. Cory chairs the Risk Management Committee and serves on the COVID-19 Advisory Task Force. He is executive vice president at BMS Re US.

Aaron Coyle-Carr was a pastoral resident at Wilshire from 2017 to 2019. His wife, Leanna, is a current pastoral resident, and they are the parents of Henlee, who is 16 months old. Aaron serves on the Missions Committee and holds a master of divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University.

Lori Haney joined Wilshire in 2004 when her husband, Doug, was called as minister of music. Lori sings in Sanctuary Choir and is currently serving as its president. Lori and Doug have two adult children and three grandsons.

Miriam McClung is the daughter of Britt and Carole McClung and sister of Ava and Ruby. The family has been at Wilshire since 2011. Miriam, who is entering seventh grade at Lake Highlands Junior High School, plays French horn and enjoys reading and volleyball. At Wilshire, she has been active in the Children’s Ministry, including singing in Young Musicians and playing in Children’s Handbells. Carla Siegesmund and her husband, Rudy, joined Wilshire in 2019. She attends Discovery Class, co-leads one of the Women of Wilshire book clubs, serves on the Weekday Education Committee and sings in Sanctuary Choir. She is an accountant by vocation and a harpist by avocation.

George A. MasonSenior Pastor

(214) 452-3132Heather Mustain

Associate Pastor(214) 452-3110

Darren DeMentAssociate Pastor(214) 452-3102Doug Haney

Associate Pastor(214) 452-3123Jeff Brummel

Associate Minister of Music/ Organist

(214) 452-3122

Jessica CappsMinister to Senior Adults

(214) 452-3129Julie Girards

Minister to Children(214) 452-3104

Joan HammonsMinister to Preschoolers

(214) 452-3141Leanna Coyle-Carr

Pastoral Resident(214) 452-3154

Leigh CurlPastoral Resident

(214) 452-3152

Ashley RobinsonPastoral Resident

(214) 452-3153Jenna SullivanPastoral Resident

(214) 452-3155David Nabors

Director of Business Admin.(214) 452-3157

Dale PrideFacilities Manager

(214) 452-3101J. Preston Bright

Associate Pastor Emeritus

Staff contacts

To email any staff member, use the first letter of the first name combined with the full last name and add @wilshirebc.org.

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Faith in Democracy event Aug. 23Wilshire is one of several Dallas churches co-hosting Faith in Democracy: Lifting Dallas Faith Voices for Justice on Sunday afternoon, August 23. Hosted by Texas Impact, this online event will feature faith and community leaders in

four panel discussions concerning the upcoming election and a preview of the 2021 legislative session. Texas Impact is a statewide grassroots network established to be a voice of religious social concern to the Texas Legislature, and it provides concrete strategies for people of faith to work for justice. The event is free but registration is required to receive the links. To learn more and register, visit texasimpact.org and look in the Events section of the site.

Passport preteen camp goes virtualTraveling to preteen camp this summer was another casualty of COVID-19, but Wilshire’s 3rd through 6th graders are participating in a virtual camp experience produced by Pass-port Camps. BEtogether is the theme for the online offering, which includes six weeks’ worth of daily devotions, worship videos and activities for kids and families to complete on their own time. For more informa-tion, contact Minister to Children Julie Girards at jgirards@wilshirebc.org.

Facebook Live Bible studyA rotation of teachers leads the Facebook Live Bible study class Sundays at 10:15 a.m. Scott Spreier will teach on on August 2. All are invited to participate via Wilshire’s Facebook page at facebook.com/wilshirebc. The lesson will remain available for viewing on Facebook and will be posted on Wilshire’s YouTube channel as well.

Wednesday videosThe pastoral resident-created Wednesday video is on a short hiatus but will return August 19 with second-year resident Leigh Curl interviewing new resident Ashley Robinson. The August 26 video will feature Leanna Coyle-Carr’s interview with new resident Jenna Sullivan. George Mason’s midweek video update will continue.

Library offers curbside pickupWilshire librarian Barbara Peterson is making it possible to check out books from the church library even while the building is closed. First, search the library’s online catalog by visiting wilshirebc.booksys.net/opac/wbc/#menuHome. This link is available in the library section of the Wilshire app and website. Then send an email to bpeterson@wilshirebc.org with “Book Requests” in the subject line and tell her what titles you wish to check out (limit 5). She will work out a safe plan to get the books to you via curbside pickup at the church building or delivery to your home.

WOW! Book Clubs■ The Women of Wilshire Tuesday Evening Book Club meets via Zoom once a month at 7 p.m. The next meeting is August 18, when Carla Siegesmund will lead a discussion of Sheldon Vanauken’s A Severe Mercy. To register, contact Debby Burton at dburton@wilshirebc.org.■ The WOW! Brown Bag Book Club meets via Zoom the first Thursday of each month. Upcoming dates and books: August 6, The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris; September 10, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson. To register, contact Abbey Adcox at aadcox@wilshirebc.org or Carolyn Murray at cmurray@wilshirebc.org.

New Members: Amy Curtis, Paige Herrick, Terri Morgan

The Wilshire Tapestry

Keep up with all the Wilshire news at wilshirebc.org or by using our Wilshire app or via social media. Worship is livestreamed Sundays at 11 a.m. on Wilshire’s website and YouTube channel.

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Evolving Faith Live ConferenceSeveral “Women of Wilshire” will be in virtual attendance at this year’s Evolving Faith Live Conference, which will be held online October 2 and 3. Conversations will continue in WOW! discussion groups starting October 6. The conference will feature favorite speakers like Sarah Bessey, Jen Hatmaker, Nadia Bolz-Weber and Barbara Brown Taylor. Registration is required and

includes access to all sessions until April 1, 2021. Register and learn more at evolvingfaith.com and watch WOW! communications for more info on discussion groups.

Gateway of Grace’s Project MaskIf you or your family needs face masks as the pandemic drags on, consider getting them through Gateway of Grace, one of Wilshire’s local missions partners. In Gateway’s Project Mask, refugee clients of the agency are making masks that are available to the public for a donation. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the refugees, and for many refugee women, this is the first time in their lives they’ve been paid for their work. Instructions for ordering masks can be found here: https://form.keela.co/gateway-of-grace/project-mask-dfw

August 1 is Holly Irvin’s 15-year anniversary as a member of Wilshire’s administrative

staff. As hospitality manager, Holly manages the church calendar and coordinates with staff members in various disciplines to make sure all events in the building happen as planned. She is the main point of contact for the many outside groups who use the building for events such as recitals, banquets and meetings.

Holly began her Wilshire tenure working in the church’s copy and mail room. She then became education ministry assistant, a position she held about eight years before assuming her current role, which she helped design. “The challenge is what I really like,” Holly says of her work at Wilshire. “Each position has present-ed different challenges and has allowed me to build my skillset.”

Associate Pastor Heather Mustain says, “As the front line of contact to those who arrive to Wilshire, Holly meets each individual with care and compassion. There have been numerous times I’ve come down to respond to a benevo-lence call where Holly has already retrieved a hot cup of coffee or cold glass of water for the

individual in need. She is patient and exhibits the ministry of pres-ence in all she does.”

Holly, who lives in Duncanville, says she appreciates and feels like part of the Wilshire community even though she at-tends church closer to home. “I feel like we’re

a family. Working at Wilshire has really helped me grow spiritually, and the relationships that have formed over these years have helped me to be who I am today.”

Heather Mustain continues: “Holly is an in-credibly hard-working individual who navigates her job with grace and responsibility. She is dependable and I know for a fact that many of us look to Holly when we need to troubleshoot or are in need of support. She is a colleague, yes, but Holly is so much more to many of us. We are beyond lucky to have her as our hospitality manager.”

Irvin marks 15 years on Wilshire staff

Holly Irvin

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At the beginning of July, the COVID-19 Advisory Task Force shared the guiding

principles driving plans for reopening the church building for congregational worship. Those principles are captured in the acronym SEE — Safe Experience for Every Body.

We now feel it’s important to let you know that, acting in a principled way and given the current COVID-19 status and trends, we can’t see a scenario in which the church could reopen for congregational worship in 2020.

Here’s some background to help you understand how we came to that conclusion.

As we hear in the news daily, the S in SEE — Safety — continues to be elusive. COVID-19 hospitalizations are significantly higher even than they were at the beginning of the month. We’re targeting the Dallas County COVID-19 Health Guidance green zone as a minimum requirement for reopening the Sanctuary. Dallas County remains deep in the red zone. Progression through the zones — to orange, yellow and green — will require sustained data trend improvements for at least two weeks per zone, and likely much longer given where we are. We could be surprised by some new development. But the best guess for availability of a vaccine is still months away.

Beyond general conditions in our area, the task force is considering the special challenges of congregational gatherings and childcare. Dallas County school openings have been delayed at least until Labor Day. The Texas Medical Association ranked the risk of 37 activities ranging from opening the mail to going to a bar. Attending a religious service with 500+ worshipers was in the highest risk category, along with going to a bar or a large

sports stadium event. It was deemed riskier than eating at a buffet or going to a movie theater.

That sets a very high standard for us as we consider when we’ll again gather in worship. And it doesn’t even account for the third E in SEE, Every Body. The percentage of Wilshire’s intergenerational family at high risk is greater than in the general population.

We all want to get back to our old, familiar ways of gathering and worshiping as soon as we can do it in a principled way aligned with our mission. We’re working hard to make the building as safe as possible for our return, including a total renovation of the bathrooms near the library. Entry door automation, hands-free faucets and water fountains, and motion-sensor lights are also in the works.

In addition to evaluating considerations for worship in the Sanctuary, the task force and leadership are working on guidelines for other uses of the building and grounds. Joan Hammons has told teachers and parents with children enrolled in Wilshire’s Early Childhood Learning Center that ECLC will not be open this fall. Carolyn Murray has shared the same sad news with Mothers of Preschoolers on that program. Darren DeMent has piloted parking lot meetings with the youth and our staff is coordinating with couples planning weddings and families seeking memorial services.

Small group meetings provide an opportunity to create a meaningful community and worship Experience — the middle E in SEE — with lower risk than congregational worship. We’d love your ideas on how two or three (or a few more) of us could safely gather in God’s name. Send your ideas, questions and feedback to

COVID-19 Advisory Task Force Update – July 29

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COVID@wilshirebc.org or reach out to any of the task force members.

We’ll continue to provide updates no less than monthly, and let you know of any significant changes. In our reports, we’ll share more on the SEE principles and how evolving data trends and insights on the spread and impacts of COVID-19 are playing into considerations for how Wilshire worships.

Wilshire COVID-19 Advisory Task Force Members: George Mason, senior pastor; David Nabors, director of business administration; Heather Mustain, associate pastor; Darren DeMent, associate pastor; Doug Haney, associate pastor; Linda Garner, parish nurse; Cory Anderson, chair of Risk Management Committee; Rob Banta, chair of deacons; Debbie Meripolski, chair-elect of deacons; Bill Jernberg, health ministry team; Christy Tabor, chair of Weekday Education Committee; Gayle Lawson, chair of Building and Grounds Committee; Barbara Gass, chair of Finance Committee; Kenton Keller, facilitator of strategic planning; Dash Blaker, communications advisor

For more information, including previous Task Force reports, please visit wilshirebc.org/COVID.

To learn more about how Wilshire is worshiping and serving during the pandemic, visit wilshirebc.org/keeping-community.

FIVE WAYS TO SUPPORT WILSHIRE’S MISSION

1. By mail: Send to Lori Gooden, Wilshire Baptist Church, 4316 Abrams Road, Dallas TX, 75214. Please write on your check if it is intended for the Unified Budget or another purpose.

2. Online: Schedule a recurring or one-time gift charged to either your debit or credit card or directly as an ACH from your checking account. Visit wilshirebc.org/give (be sure you have enabled cookies on your phone or tablet) or scan the QR Code in today’s order of worship.

3. Automatic bank pay: Go to your bank’s website, log in to your individual bank account and follow your bank’s instructions to set up Wilshire as a new payee. Your bank will print and cut a check.

4. Text: Using your smartphone, text WILSHIRE and the dollar amount (example: WILSHIRE 50) to 73256, then follow the link that pops up. The first time you use this option, you will enter credit card and contact information. All text gifts will be applied to the Unified Budget.

5. Wilshire app: Download the Wilshire app from the App Store or Google Play to make gifts easily from your phone or tablet.

Wilshire’s two new pastoral residents, Jenna Sullivan and Ashley Robinson,

have settled into their homes on Resident Row and will officially begin their two-year terms on Monday, August 3. They join second-year residents Leanna Coyle-Carr and Leigh Curl to form Wilshire’s first all-female resident cohort.

You can begin getting to know Jenna and Ashley through a series of upcoming video interviews. George Mason will interview both new residents during worship on Sunday, August 9. A video released on Wednesday, August 19, will feature Leigh interviewing Ashley, and an August 26 video will feature Leanna’s conversation with Jenna.

Jenna joins Wilshire from Magnolia Road Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where she served as associate pastor. She completed the master of divinity degree at Wake Forest University School of Divinity in 2018 and served internships at churches in North Carolina and Tennessee.

Ashley was most recently volunteer and development director for Lost-n-Found Youth, an Atlanta nonprofit serving homeless LGBTQ youth. She previously worked for Baptist Women in Ministry and has served churches in Georgia. Ashley completed the master of divinity degree from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in May. She is sister-in-law to Jake Hall, one of Wilshire’s early pastoral residents.

Each Wilshire pastoral resident is supported by a Sunday School class that offers encouragement and hospitality throughout the resident’s two-year term. Labyrinth Class will serve as Jenna’s support class, and Perennial Class will support Ashley.

New pastoral residents begin Wilshire tenure

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“I have been so warmly welcomed with kind mes-sages on Facebook, warm cookies delivered to my door, FaceTime calls from fellow residents, and the warm spirit of the staff. I even successfully navigated heavy Dallas freeway traffic to return a U-Haul truck

which was no small feat for this Arkansas gal. Such a big life change in the midst of a pandemic is certainly difficult but I feel God’s presence helping me to settle in, take some deep breaths, and create a new home. I truly look forward to weaving my unique thread into the larger tapestry of Wilshire Baptist Church over these next two years.”

“Uprooting myself in the middle of a pandemic was not on my list of things I imagined I would be doing this year. In fact, as I drove away from Atlanta a few weeks ago, I won-dered, ‘what have I gotten myself into?’ From the first moment I arrived, though,

Wilshire showed up with loving welcome and radical hospitality to make Dallas feel more like home ... For many years in Atlanta, I was a constituent of Congressman John Lewis. Since his recent passing, I have been reflecting on his work in the Civil Rights movement and social justice. One of his quotes keeps run-ning through my mind, ‘Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.’ Wilshire, I can’t wait to see what kind of good trouble we get into together.”

I N T H E I R O W N W O R D S

Jenna Sullivan

Ashley Robinson

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PRAY FOR WILSHIRE EDUCATORS

As schools and school districts make difficult preparations for beginning the academic year during COVID-19, we have compiled a list of Wilshire members who work in education. Keep them in your prayers and consider offering encouragement in the form of a note, email or phone call. We apologize for any omissions; please let us know of names that should be added to the list.

Kelly AkinsAmy AndersonDebbie AtchleyHugh AtkinsonLynne BeardCasey BolandLeigh Ann BrownLaura BrownJake BruehlReagan BrumleyKristin CabanissHillary CampbellSunny Carroum Karen CotterSilvia DeLaCruzJoannah DeMentElizabeth FeltonShana Gaines

Thomas HareDawn HallmanSherry HicksKatie KoshkinThomas LeeJack LevisonJennifer MaddingRalph Manuel Candy McCombTricia McCoyChristie MichieEllen MooneyWendy MooreMary MorganMeredith MosleyMonica MullinsShannon NadaliniJohn Parnell

Paige PenderyMary Lea PhillipsRobin PokladnikPriscilla Pope-LevisonLyn PraterMichael PrysockAaron ReindelSarah RoseGerald ShillingJeanne SpreierMegan ThompsonSara TinsleyCarol TommeyJanis TownsendJonni WallsJenn WeaverKatie WilkeJenny Wolff

Preston AdkinsTanya BensonGina BiddleCayce BrumleyJoni CabanissAnn CossumKaren CotterKelli Culpepper Hall Joannah DeMent Diana EarlyJanda Edwards Linda EggertLinda Garner Kirsten Granberry Linda GregoryRita Hamilton

Joey HamiltonDeborah HerfordJeff JonesTori Korson Wingfield Desiree Krieger Micki Lacker Bobby Louder Linda Martinez Kim Mason Marty McElya Alyssa McElya Sheri McShan Allison Moore Sheri Mosser Monica Mullins Chad Mustain

Mike Plunk Ross Prater Lyn Prater Nancy Quelland Katie Smalling Connie Smith Jim Sterling Nancy Stretch Robin SullensClaire Tommey Jim Walton Amy Wilson Jenny Wolff Alan Wright Rebecca Yarbrough

Pray for all Wilshire health care workers

Rapid-response teams availableHealth Response Team is comprised of medical professionals in the church who are willing to make themselves available for general counsel and encouragement. These volunteers are not dispensing medical care but are available for general questions and guidance, especially when it may be harder to get to a doctor. Lead contact is Linda Garner, lgarner@wilshirebc.org or (214) 452-3151. Food and Supplies Response Team is comprised of volunteers from our Missions and Advocacy committees who are at the ready to help those who are isolated and need food or other supplies brought to them. We have identified existing designated and budget funds that will be used to meet urgent needs of members, such as food and medicine and limited rent assistance. Lead contact is Heather Mustain, hmustain@wilshirebc.org or (214) 452-3110. Spiritual Support Response Team is comprised of trained lay leaders and staff who are available to talk with members who are lonely, scared or just need to talk during this time of isolation. This is not a substitute for professional counseling. Volunteers will call care receivers on at least a weekly basis to listen to them and offer emotional support. Other referrals for additional identified needs will be made to the appropriate teams or staff. Lead contact is Gail Brookshire, gsbrookshire@gmail.com.

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