Author: Jeff Hampton

For Wilshire Baptist Church

Sometimes going to church doesn’t really feel like going to church — certainly not in a worshiping and Bible study kind of way — and yet when it’s all over we find we had the opportunity to “be the church” in some small ways.

I knew when we arrived at Wilshire on Sunday it was going to be different from the norm. I helped LeAnn get her pre-K classroom ready as I usually do, but instead of going to the third floor to sit with Epiphany and learn more about the complicated history of the Christian religion and church from Mike Capps, I went to the narthex and waited for guests: Mark Rios, an actor and singer who collaborated with George Gagliardi prior to his death last November, another actor and a cinematographer.

Continue reading “Being the Church”

For Wilshire Baptist Church

Ever spent time on Google Map’s Street View? I’ve probably spent way too much time on it, but I find it useful, interesting and fun. I use it sometimes to verify an address, check an entry point and look for other details before I visit a location. But sometimes I like to snoop around and see places I’ve never been, or check out an old address where I once lived or frequented to see what’s changed.

Continue reading “Around the Corner”

For Wilshire Baptist Church

Building community is hard work, and at the end of the day you have to be content with the community you’ve built.

Tuesday evening we had approximately 30 people at our house, including five officers from the local police force and our city council representative. They came for hot dogs, appetizers, a wide variety of cookies and friendly conversation. It was National Night Out, and we’ve hosted the event at our house most of the dozen years we’ve lived here because we have a good corner for gathering. Also, we’ve been the official and lately unofficial leaders of our loosely knit Embree Neighborhood Association.

Continue reading “The Hard Work of Community”