December 22, 2019Fourth Sunday of Advent

Preparation may be heavy on your mind in these final days before Christmas. Final gifts to purchase, chores to finish, last-minute baking and travel plans all remind us of this annual theme of preparation that comes with the season. This time of year, there always seems to be too much to do and somehow never enough time to get it all done.

Christians are in a season of preparation of a different kind. Advent is not the kind of preparation that involves gifts and trips and baked goods. Rather, Advent is about preparing ourselves for an encounter with Christ. During Advent, we prepare to remember and celebrate the first coming of our Savior and at the same time practice an already-but-not-yet kind of waiting for Christ’s second coming.

Today, we enter into the final week of this season of watching, waiting and preparing. This final week of Advent is what the Episcopal priest Fleming Rutledge refers to as “the most expectant week of the year,” a week “saturated with the sense of something uniquely impossible about to happen.” Today in worship, we prepare for this glorious week by lighting the Candle of Love as a reminder of God’s love incarnate, sent to the world for the sake of all.

Our processional hymn helps us set the stage for this final Advent week as we sing together these words of preparation:

People look east, the time is near of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able, trim the hearth and set the table. People look east and sing today: Love, the Guest, is on the way.

This week of the year is indeed “saturated” in many ways. As we prepare our homes and our menus, are we also preparing our hearts to encounter Christ, however or wherever he might arrive? In this busiest of seasons are we willing to slow down, pay attention and look for Emmanuel, who shows up in unexpected places?

In these moments of worship, and in the busy days ahead, take time to pause and prepare yourself to meet our ever-present Savior and friend — Christ who has come, Christ who is with us and Christ who will come again. Love, the Guest, is on the way! Pause now and prepare your heart and mind.

—Ryan Wilson

Preparing for worship

ON THE COVER: The Census at Bethlehem, 1566, by Pieter Bruegel the Elder © Bridgeman Art Library / Royal Musuems of Fine Arts of Belgium

Wilshire Baptist Church4316 Abrams Road | Dallas, Texas 75214

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

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

2

December 22, 20198:30 / 11:00 a.m.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Chiming the HourPlease turn off all cell phones, pagers and alarm watches.

Prelude Of the Father’s Love Begotten arr. Robert Hebble

**Baptism — Duncan Michie George Mason

+Processional Hymn 90 People, Look East besançon

Lighting the Candle of Love *Linda and John Garrett **Kirsten Granberry with Hannah, Christopher and Clara

Preparing for the Nativity *Ava Brashear, Lillian Brashear **Judith Guthrie, Riley Koshkin

+Litany Hannah Jaggers / Julie Francis

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. (Zephaniah 3:14–18a)

Let us receive the Lord our God with gladness!

Today we light the Angel Candle of Love, acknowledging that God is love and that Jesus is the Beautiful Savior, the image of God’s love.

Let us receive the Lord our God with gladness!

As we wait for the night of Christ’s birth, grant us grace to cleanse ourselves of all that is not lovely, as we seek to become more like Christ and worship him alone. Help us to love all whom God loves, just as we have been loved by God. And help us to reflect the glory of the Lord that shines upon us.

Let us receive the Lord our God with gladness!

3

*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.

4

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 when it is passed later in the service.

You also are invited to take the red fabric rose from the card and place it on your lapel or blouse to help others identify that you are our honored guest today.

Prayer concerns will be received and prayed for this week when listed on anintercessory prayer card from the pew rack and placed in the offering plate.

Anthem O Come, All Ye Faithful arr. Dan ForrestSanctuary Chorale / Sanctuary Choir

Jeff Brummel and Max Tucker, piano four hands

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.

Come and behold him, born the King of angels,O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exaltation!Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above.

Glory to God, all glory in the highest.O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning, Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n!

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Prayers of the People Tiffany Wright / Darren DeMent

+Hymn 131 In the Bleak Midwinter cranham

Giving of Tithes and Offerings

See page 8 for a report on current Unified Budget needs. Your generosity is needed to ensure that all our missions and ministries are funded for this year. The church office will be open to receive contributions through 4:45 p.m. on Dec. 31, or you may contribute online any time at wilshirebc.org/give.

Offertory Versets on “Away in a Manger” Mark Blatchly

5

+Offertory Response lasst uns erfreuen

+Gospel Reading — Luke 1:26–38, 46–55 *Mary Kay Jackman and Jared Jaggers **Leigh Curl and Matt Dodrill

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. ... And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

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

6

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. You also are invited to a coffee reception in James Gallery immediately after the service.

Children welcome here. Parents of children in kindergarten and older are encouraged to bring their children with them to worship, because at Wilshire our worship experience is intergenerational and formative of lifelong habits. Worship care with loving workers is available for preschoolers younger than kindergarten age. To find the secure check-in station, follow the signs behind the Sanctuary or from the north entrance.

A los seis meses, Dios envió al ángel Gabriel a Nazaret, pueblo de Galilea, a visitar a una joven virgen comprometida para casarse con un hombre que se llamaba José, descendiente de David. La virgen se llamaba María. El ángel se acercó a ella y le dijo: “¡Te saludo, tú que has recibido el favor de Dios! El Señor está contigo.” Ante estas palabras, María se perturbó, y se preguntaba qué podría significar este saludo. “No tengas miedo, María; Dios te ha concedido su favor,” le dijo el ángel. “Quedarás encinta y darás a luz un hijo, y le pondrás por nombre Jesús. Él será un gran hombre, y lo llamarán Hijo del Altísimo. Dios el Señor le dará el trono de su padre David, y reinará sobre el pueblo de Jacob para siempre. Su reinado no tendrá fin.” Le preguntó María al ángel, “¿Cómo podrá suceder esto, puesto que soy virgen?” El ángel dijo, “El Espíritu Santo vendrá sobre ti, y el poder del Altísimo te cubrirá con su sombra. Así que al santo niño que va a nacer lo llamarán Hijo de Dios. También tu parienta Elisabet va a tener un hijo en su vejez; de hecho, la que decían que era estéril ya está en el sexto mes de embarazo. Porque para Dios no hay nada imposible.” Contestó María, “Aquí tienes a la sierva del Señor. Que él haga conmigo como me has dicho.” Con esto, el ángel la dejó. ... Entonces dijo María: “Mi alma glorifica al Señor, y mi espíritu se regocija en Dios mi Salvador, porque se ha dignado fijarse en su humilde sierva. Desde ahora me llamarán dichosa todas las generaciones, porque el Poderoso ha hecho grandes cosas por mí. ¡Santo es su nombre! De generación en generación se extiende su misericordia a los que le temen. Hizo proezas con su brazo; desbarató las intrigas de los soberbios. De sus tronos derrocó a los poderosos, mientras que ha exaltado a los humildes. A los hambrientos los colmó de bienes, y a los ricos los despidió con las manos vacías. Acudió en ayuda de su siervo Israel y, cumpliendo su promesa a nuestros padres,mostró su misericordia a Abraham y a su descendencia para siempre.”

Esta es la palabra del Señor.Gracias a Dios.

Message “Living the Dream” George Mason

Musical Meditation Song of Mary Buryl RedLaurie Diffee

+Hymn 127 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing mendelssohn

Sharing of Decisions

Postlude Postlude on gloria arr. Jason D. Payne

7

Meet today’s worship leadersLaurie Diffee grew up at Wilshire. She sings in Sanctuary Choir and Nova, plays with Carillon Ringers, serves on the Committee on Committees and volunteers in the front office on Sunday mornings. She works for Guidestone, is married to Mike and is a quilter.

Julie Francis grew up at Wilshire and is a student at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the daughter of Ed and Linda Francis and has been a missions volunteer and summer intern at Wilshire.

Mary Kay Jackman came to Wilshire in 2005 and has found a home in Whosoever Wilshire Class, where she is a teacher. She is retired from SMU, where she taught rhetoric and business writing. She is a deacon, sings in New Song and, with fellow Wilshire member Julie Owen, is the author JoBeth Jones.

Hannah Jaggers came to Wilshire in 2014 with her husband Jared, a current pastoral resident. She teaches in youth Sunday School and is a missions volunteer. Hannah works as a digital communications designer for HKS Inc.

George A. MasonSenior Pastor

(214) 452-3132Mark Wingfield

Associate Pastor(214) 452-3128Doug Haney

Minister of Music(214) 452-3123Jeff Brummel

Associate Minister of Music/ Organist

(214) 452-3122Tiffany Wright

Minister for Care Ministries(214) 452-3107

Heather MustainMinister of Missions & Advocacy

(214) 452-3110

Jessica CappsMinister to Senior Adults

(214) 452-3129Darren DeMent

Minister to Students and Young Adults

(214) 452-3102Julie 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

Jared JaggersPastoral Resident

(214) 452-3153Ryan Wilson

Pastoral Resident(214) 452-3158Matt DodrillMcIver Fellow

(214) 452-3156David 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.

8

Unified Budget update Gifts last week: ............................................$100,043December gifts to date: ............................. $446,786December budget needs: .......................... $743,750YTD budget gifts: ....................................$3,541,967YTD budget needs: .................................$3,952,500YTD deficit (income vs expense): ............. $361,194

New members: Dustin McCoy, Tricia McCoy, Dylan McCoy, Miles McCoy.

Condolences to: Esther Randle on the death of her twin sister, Ruth Davis, Dec. 16; Carrie and Michael Prysock on the death of Carrie’s mother, Ruth Rogers, Dec. 14; Tim and Jane Morgan on the death of Tim’s father, Darold Morgan, Dec. 11.

Christmas Eve worship

Wilshire offers two Christmas Eve candelight services. The 5 p.m. service is family-friendly and suitable for all ages; it is about 45 minutes in length and includes carols, Scripture and a brief inspirational message from George Mason. The 11 p.m. service is about an hour in length and is more liturgical in nature, with more Scripture readings, more carols, a youth alumni choir and celebration of the Lord’s Supper. No child care is provided. Both services will be live streamed.

Advent devotionals

Daily Advent devotionals written by Wilshire members are being published daily. Printed booklets will not be produced this year, but the devotionals may be accessed in multiple ways: Sign up for a daily email distribution at wilshirebc.org/registration; check Wilshire’s Facebook page daily; or visit wilshirebc.org to find daily devotionals as well as a full PDF of all devotionals available for download.

Tree of Hope

Help decorate Wilshire’s “Tree of Hope, Survivorship and Remembrance,” in the South

Lobby. You are invited to write the name of your loved one as a memorial, or your name as a survivor. Blank ornaments and markers are provided by the tree. Hang your ornament on the tree anytime throughout Advent and then take your ornament home the week of Christmas and place it on your own tree.

Resident-led vespers Jan. 8

Everyone is invited to the next resident-led vespers worship on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 6 p.m. in McIver Chapel. Koinonia Café dinner will be served from 5 to 6 p.m. in Community Hall, and regular activities for preschoolers, children and youth will resume that night.

Liturgical Living: Holy Days at Home

Ever wondered what dragons, bonfires and saint-themed parties could mean for your prayer life? Ever wondered how to bring the rich traditions of the liturgical year into your home? Ever wondered what the heck the liturgical year is? Join Leanna Coyle-Carr in exploring the fun, funky and faithful holidays of the church calendar with ideas for how to “keep the feasts.” She will offer a three-week dialogue on these ideas on Wednesday evenings Jan. 15, 22 and 29 from 6 to 7 p.m. Where have we come from? What it means to be a Baptist today

Mark Wingfield and Ryan Wilson will co-lead a three-week study on what it means to be a Baptist in a post-denominational world and what it means to be a Wilshire kind of Baptist in a city where “Baptist” usually means something else. Join the conversation on Wednesday evenings Jan. 15, 22 and 29 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Porn-proofing your kids

Mark your new 2020 calendar and plan to attend a special Sunday noon seminar on Jan. 12 titled “Protecting Young Minds: Porn-Proofing Your Kids.” Parents, grandparents and teachers will

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 live streamed every Sunday at 11:00.

9

learn how to prepare kids of all ages to protect themselves from porn. This is especially timely for families who will increase their Internet access with devices gifted for Christmas. The seminar will be led by Wilshire member and professional teacher and parent educator Dawn Hallman. She will offer resources for further guidance and education based on the website, www.protectyoungminds.org. This is a free seminar with lunch and child care included. No reservation is needed for the seminar and lunch, but reservations are needed for child care.

Room in the Inn

The first Room in the Inn mission project of the new year will be Friday night and Saturday morning, Jan. 17 and 18. Volunteers are also needed Feb. 28 and 29 and March 27 and 28. Through this outreach, homeless women from Austin Street Shelter come to Wilshire’s Community Hall for a night of good sleep, good food and good friendship. Sign up at wilshirebc.org/registration.

Meal packaging event

Wilshire’s annual meal packaging event with Rise Against Hunger will take place on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, Jan. 20, from 10 a.m. to noon in Community Hall. All ages welcome. Sign up at wilshirebc.org/registration. Souper Bowl of Caring Chili Cook-Off

Wilshire’s annual luncheon to raise funds for hunger and poverty-alleviation efforts is set for Sunday, Feb. 2, in Community Hall. There will be two seatings, at 10:45 a.m. and at noon. This year we are adding a chili cook-off to the event. Do you have an award-winning recipe? Email Heather Mustain at hmustain@wilshirebc.org to enter.

Nativities on display

A collection of nativity sets from around the world are on display in the Wilshire Library. Stop by and check it out.

WOW! Tuesday Evening Book Club

The Women of Wilshire Tuesday Evening Book Club meets monthly at 7 p.m. in the Parlor. Upcoming date and book title is: Jan. 21, Southern Discomfort by Tena Clark.

Usborne book fair continues

The Usborne Book Fair held on site recently continues online. Support the Wilshire Library with a portion of your purchases of high-quality children’s books that are ideal for Christmas presents. Find the link at wilshirebc.org/registration.

Today’s hymn story

By Jeff Brummel

In the Bleak Midwinter was written by English poet Christina Rossetti (1830-94) but originally was titled A Christmas Carol. The new poem was published in the January 1872 issue of Scribner’s Monthly: An Illustrated Magazine for the Peoples. Set to music by esteemed English composer Gustav Holst, the hymn was published in The English Hymnal in 1906. In 2008, leading choirmasters in England voted Harold Drake’s 1911 setting of the text as the “best Christmas carol.” Rossetti’s poem paints a vivid picture of the nativity scene but observed through the eyes and understanding of a person who lives through cold English winters. I remember the first time I sang this carol in my high school choir. That year we experienced a bitterly cold Oregon winter in which we were having subzero temperatures, and everything froze. I can remember sitting in my blue plastic chair at school surrounded by my fellow choristers that bitterly cold December day and the metaphor “earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone” jumped right off the page and is forever etched into my mind. A powerful moment of experiencing a text as a youth. Interesting in this carol is that in stanza two, Rossetti moves briefly from nativity to mention of the second coming of Jesus, “heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.” But perhaps the most striking and meaningful stanza is the final one: “What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; if I were a wise man, I would do my part; yet what can I give him: give him my heart.”

10

Why we do short-term mission tripsBy Heather MustainMinister of Missions & Advocacy

I remember my first mission trip like it was yesterday. I was a freshman at the University of Colorado and had recently come to know Christ. Eager to live into this new life, when the opportunity to spend my spring break in Jamaica serving at a children’s home presented itself, I jumped on it.

This trip combined all things I was growing to love at the ripe age of 18: travel, culture and service. Going on that first trip almost 20 years ago started a somewhat short-term missions trip addiction in me. Every break, from there onward, I was raising funds to travel somewhere always under the guise of Christian service. Looking back, I was naive and ignorant to things like toxic charity and the pervasiveness of Western colonialism that can and did accompany these trips. However, I still hold to the truth that God used these experiences to shape and craft my deep love of culture, people, service and justice.

And therein lies the problem. The short-term missions narrative for too long has been about helping others when, in truth, these experiences are more about those who go. Scholars and social researchers alike have proved this to be true. When we continue to believe and promote this fallacy, our mission trips become full of toxic ideologies like paternalism, white superiority and cultural arrogance. And let’s not forget the question, Why go there when all the same problems exist right here?

So why does Wilshire continue to promote and lead short-term mission trips? It’s not lost on me that many of you never will participate in these trips for reasons I already have mentioned, but I hope it is at least beneficial for you to know the why behind our continued involvement.

First, I won’t lie to you: the short-term missions experiences through Wilshire will be more about you than about the people you will meet. And that’s OK. We need to reframe these experiences as opportunities for our own discipleship, learning and transformation. These trips also afford us the opportunity to encourage partners who serve day in and day out in some of the most challenging contexts.

Second, everything Wilshire does we do in partnership. Our intention is never to recreate

or duplicate efforts. The Missions Committee and I take the job of vetting partnerships very seriously and adhere to a defined process. Every short-term experience is connected to something larger, something ongoing, and to someone whose presence will remain after we leave.

Finally, experiencing the movement of God through the lens of CBF field personnel, another culture or community can propel and encourage us to be change agents in our own context. We open ourselves to seeing God in new ways, we learn new methodologies, and perhaps we even feel nudged to do something about those mutual problems that keep us from going on a trip in the first place.

There is a lot to learn in this vast and expansive world. God is working in ways we will never know unless we go. And you’re right: you don’t have to go far, but I do hope you’ll go somewhere. If it’s not with a Wilshire mission team, then make a commitment to serve at Room in the Inn, or serve a meal with a team at the Bridge or Cornerstone kitchen, teach ESL at Gateway of Grace, read to a child at a local school, mentor a brother through PEP, join our housing stabilization team, walk with neighbors through CitySquare’s food pantry, or sign up to be a financial coach with Interfaith. I hope this year challenges you to experience God and the world in a new way.

2020 short-term missions opportunities

• February and March — Brownsville/Matamoros• Spring Break — Little Rock, Ark.• Summer — Puerto Rico• December — NYC Urban Immersion

11

By Heather MustainMinister of Missions & Advocacy

As you begin to think ahead to spring break,

we hope you’ll consider this year’s Wilshire spring break mission team traveling to Little Rock, Ark., as we work and play at Lake Nixon Outdoor Center. The dates are March 9-14.

Located just outside Little Rock, Lake Nixon encompasses 200 acres, including a 34-acre lake. For the first part of the 20th century, Lake Nixon operated as a commercial entertainment and recreation venue featuring a variety of activities and amenities. These included a swimming beach that provided relief from the summer heat.

In summer 1966, two young African American women sought admission to Lake Nixon and were denied an opportunity to pay the membership fee. In response, they charged the lake’s ownership with violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The resulting legal case, Daniel v. Paul, eventually made its way to the Supreme Court of the United States. In a landmark 7-1 decision that drew national attention, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. This set an important precedent in the application of the Civil Rights Act to membership-based establishments and has led to Lake Nixon being placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Before the conclusion of the legal proceedings, Dale Cowling, pastor of downtown Little Rock’s

Second Baptist Church, led his congregation to purchase the lake and surrounding property, with the help of generous financial commitments from 10 church leaders and their families. The church envisioned Lake Nixon as a ministry to children and families of all races and backgrounds by providing opportunities for young people to encounter God through the outdoors.

During our short week together, Wilshire volunteers will have many opportunities to cultivate our love for service, engage in racial equity dialogue and learning, and nurture a love for the outdoors. Activities planned include manual projects at Lake Nixon, an outing to visit Heifer International, Central High School Museum and a guided outdoor adventure with the Nature Conservatory.

All ages are welcome, and families are highly encouraged to join. This is a great opportunity to foster relationships with other children, parents and other members of the church. Single adults and couples without school-age children in the home also are encouraged to participate.

Lodging will be determined on interest, but could include cabins, camping or RVs. Costs are hard to estimate at this point, but from past spring break trips typically a family of four spends at most $1,000.

If you’re interested in learning more, contact me at hmustain@wilshirebc.org or (214) 452-3110.

Spring break missions adventure

12

December 24Family-friendly Christmas Eve

candlelight worship at 5:00 p.m.

Liturgical Christmas Eve candlelight worship at 11:00 p.m.

December 29One worship service at 10 a.m.

with fellowship time at 9:30 a.m.No Sunday School