May 9, 2021 Sixth Sunday of Easter Preparing for worship Today marks the sixth Sunday in the season balm that will bind us together in this time is of Easter. While we direct our attention to res- our worship. urrection and new life, there can also be a sense This past week, many people reflected on of trepidation in not knowing what to expect the words of the late Rachel Held Evans on the with all of this talk of newness. While there is anniversary of her death. A passage from her certainly joy and astonishment in discovering book Searching for Sunday speaks to this idea of resurrection, there can also be pain and uncer- anticipating newness together: “Even here, in tainty, leaving us wondering where to go from the dark, God is busy making all things new. here. To be fair, the resurrection story threw So show up. Open every door … anticipate some pretty sharp curveballs that smashed resurrection. It’s either just around the bend or expectations. a million miles away. Or perhaps it’s somewhere So, what are we to do when we are left won- in between. Let’s find out together.” dering what to expect? For many of us, there As we worship today, there is room for every has been a true feeling of new life as we are bit of joy, excitement, pain, anxiety, wonder and beginning to emerge from life in quarantine anticipation in what we bring. May the songs we after being vaccinated. In our congregational sing and the words we offer direct our attention life, we are making plans to regather in person to God and help us to anticipate resurrection. very soon. A new way of life is upon us, and that “Let’s find out together.” is exciting — excruciatingly exciting for some, and excruciatingly uncertain for others. The —Ashley Robinson 4316 Abrams Road ■ Dallas, Texas 75214 ■ 214-452-3100 ■ wilshirebc.org Partnered with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Building a Community of Faith Shaped by the Spirit of Jesus Christ On the cover: Abide in My Love, Jan Richardson 2 May 9, 2021 Sixth Sunday of Easter Chiming of the Hour Prelude Variations on acclamations arr. Al Travis Opening Sentences Leanna Coyle-Carr We gather as children of God’s household, ready to grow and learn, ready to worship and praise, Scoreready to receive the love our God so freely gives. O that we would dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of our lives — thatFairest we would not keep Lord ourselves Jesus from the grace of abiding where we belong! Today, we will risk the divine welcome. Today, we will dare to let ourselves be nourished and nurtured. Today, weSchönster worship the Lord. Herr Jesu/ St. Elizabeth Hymn 159 Fairest Lord Jesus st. elizabeth b 4 œ & b b 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ 1. Fair˙ - estœ Lordœ Je -œ sus,˙ rul - er of all na - ture, O thou of 2. Fair are the mead - ows, fair -er still the wood - land, robed in the 3. Fair is the sun - shine, fair -er still the moon - light and all the 4. Beau - ti - ful Sav - ior, Lord of all na - tions, Son of b & b b ˙ œ œ ˙ ˙ w ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ God and man the Son; thee will I cher - ish, bloom - ing garb of spring; Je - sus is fair - er, twin - kling, star - ry host; Je - sus shines bright - er, God and Son of Man! Glo - ry and hon - or, b & b b ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ thee will I hon - or, thou my soul’s glo - ry, joy and crown.w Je - sus is pur - er, who makes the woe - ful heart to sing. Je - sus shines pur - er than all the an - gels heaven can boast. praise, ad - o - ra - tion, now and for - ev - er - more be thine! Greeting to Worshipers Julie Girards Introduction of New Stephen Ministers George Mason and Linda Garner David Duncan and Tim Morgan 3 © Litany Pastor: As Christians who are baptized into service as priests before God, we are called to offer our gifts with thanksgiving. Today, we celebrate and set aside two who have answered a specific call to become ministers in Wilshire’s Stephen Ministry. Stephen Ministry Leader: We give thanks to God for these whom God has called. Pastor: As Stephen Ministers, we charge you to help us become the hands and feet of Christ for those in need. We charge you to be faithful in service, compassionate in attitude and confidential in counseling. Will you accept this charge? Stephen Ministers: We will, with God’s help. Pastor: Congregation, these Stephen Ministers cannot in their own strength do all they must do. Will you on this day covenant to pray for them, support them and walk beside them with encouragement? Stephen Ministry Leader: We will, with God’s help. Prayers of the People Gail Brookshire Anthem Write Your Blessed Name K. Lee Scott Sanctuary Choir Recorded May 5, 2019 Write Your blessed name, O Lord, upon my heart, There to remain so indelibly engraved that no prosperity, That no adversity shall ever move me from your love. Be to me a strong tower of defense, a comforter in tribulation, A deliv’rer in distress and a faithful guide to the courts of heav’n Through the many temptations and dangers of this life. O Jesu, my only Savior! Write Your blessed name, O Lord, upon my heart There to remain so indelibly engraved that no prosperity That no adversity shall ever, ever, ever move me from your love. — Thomas á Kempis Gospel Reading — John 15:9–17 Alan Wright “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 4 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. “Así como el Padre me ha amado a mí, también yo los he amado a ustedes. Permanezcan en mi amor. Si obedecen mis mandamientos, permanecerán en mi amor, así como yo he obedecido los man- damientos de mi Padre y permanezco en su amor. Les he dicho esto para que tengan mi alegría y así su alegría sea completa. Y este es mi mandamiento: que se amen los unos a los otros, como yo los he amado. Nadie tiene amor más grande que el dar la vida por sus amigos. Ustedes son mis amigos si hacen lo que yo les mando. Ya no los llamo siervos, porque el siervo no está al tanto de lo que hace su amo; los he llamado amigos, porque todo lo que a mi Padre le oí decir se lo he dado a conocer a ustedes. No me escogieron ustedes a mí, sino que yo los escogí a ustedes y los comisioné para que vayan y den fruto, un fruto que perdure. Así el Padre les dará todo lo que le pidan en mi nombre. Este es mi mandamiento: que se amen los unos a los otros.” Esta es la palabra del Señor. Gracias a Dios. Message “No Greater Love” George Mason Affirmation of Faith This is the Threefold Truth acclamations Sharing of Decisions George Mason Benediction George Mason Postlude Minuet Gothique from Suite Gothique Léon Boëllmann 5 Meet today’s worship leaders Gail Brookshire and her husband, Steve, met Alan Wright joined Wilshire in 2002 and is and married at Wilshire, where they have been married to Tiffany Wright, who for 20 years members since 1978. Their son, Andy, and his served on Wilshire’s pastoral staff. They are the wife, Jessica, also are Wilshire members. Gail is parents of Cayton, a seventh grader. Alan directs a deacon, a Stephen Minister, a prayer ministry and teaches in Avodah Class and works as an volunteer and helps with the Grief and Loss oncology chaplain at Baylor Scott & White Center of North Texas. She serves on the Medical Center. Personnel Committee and is a member of Epiphany Class. Staff contacts George A. Mason Jessica Capps Ashley Robinson Linda Garner Senior Pastor Minister to Senior Adults Pastoral Resident Parish Nurse [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 214-452-3132 214-452-3129 214-452-3153 214-452-3151 Heather Mustain Julie Girards Jenna Sullivan Geri McKenzie Associate Pastor Minister to Children Pastoral Resident Associate Director for [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Pathways to Ministry 214-452-3110 214-452-3104 214-452-3155 [email protected] 214-452-3159 Darren DeMent Joan Hammons Preston Bright Associate Pastor Minister to Preschoolers Associate Pastor Emeritus Dale Pride [email protected] [email protected] Facilities Manager 214-452-3102 214-452-3141 Randy Crosland [email protected] Director of Operations 214-452-3101 Doug Haney Leanna Coyle-Carr [email protected] Associate Pastor Pastoral Resident 214-452-3146 [email protected] [email protected] 214-452-3123 214-452-3154 Lori Gooden Director of Finance Jeff Brummel Leigh Curl [email protected] Associate Minister Pastoral Resident 214-452-3131 of Music/Organist [email protected] [email protected] 214-452-3152 214-452-3122 Thank you for giving.