Let Your Light Shine

By Pastor Tim White

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:15-16 NIV

Last week we opened the door to a life altering discussion on living an inviting lifestyle. Church growth is not that complicated. It simply means take the step of being All In to Jesus Christ. (1) Make the church a place of Belonging. (2) Serving our neighbors. (3) A time when worship is becoming excellent. (4) Giving is joyful. (5) Inviting is fun.

Now we enter a season when people want to come to church. The Holiday season just doesn’t feel right without a faith component. That is why this season is our opportunity to grow. Let’s invite our families, friends and neighbors to the special holiday services. Christmas time is a great time to reach people. This year we pray that our dynamic, moderate-sized church can reach 1,500 hundred people. We are working hard on the services to make them the best we have ever experienced. Can you help? Let’s live an inviting lifestyle that attracts our family, friends and neighbors. It is an exciting time to follow Jesus Christ.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Culture of Growth

by Pastor Tim White

I love to read blogs and I love to write them. My friend of many years Father Luigi is a recently retired catholic priest who served much of his life in the Baltimore area. When he writes a blog, I love to read it and correspond with him. Recently he posted this powerful truth. “Forgive yourself for not knowing what you didn’t know before you learned it.” - Maya Angelou. What a powerful thought. Most people try to go through life without ever changing, which is impossible because we have events and forces that cause us all to change. Sure, we have inborn personality traits, gifts and weaknesses that don’t ever seem to be far away; but live long enough and you will notice that to some degree your strengths and weaknesses will be even more pronounced than before.

For most of us, we have a hard time receiving new ideas. We don’t have to relinquish our responsibility to filter good ideas from not so good ideas. No, we just need to examine new ideas quickly and, after confirming they are a good strategy, we can implement this new way of living. Then as we move on in life's joyful adventure, we can adapt those new ideas to become our ideas and refine them to work better and better as we utilize them to the fullest. Sometimes they don’t work out as we thought because the variables in our lives are changing. So, we start over again in the process of refining our working world view. When we go through that painful process, we grow. God’s definition of success becomes more attainable and we miraculously grow.

Join me this week as we study God’s practical process to grow. It is a lifestyle of invitation and we will become much better at worshipping the living God this weekend.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Astonished by God

by Pastor Tim White

What in the world surprises you? Taxes? No, we have figured out where we stand on taxes and we are not too surprised when someone pushes another agenda on us. What about God surprises you? When we open our eyes and our ears ... everything about God astonishes us. Yes, it is amazing grace and yes, we sing: My God how great thou art! I’m still astonished by old miracles in my life. The church that God has given me to serve. My children and grandchildren who God has loaned to me. My wife of 45 years is still a miracle that I am trying to comprehend. Our nation. The more I travel the more I appreciate the opportunities we have here.

When we are astonished, our hearts race with adrenaline. Our eyes shine with amazement, our energy kicks in. What if I told you that you could sign a contract to live in thankful surprise? And this thankful contract will be renewed every week for the rest of your life. Come to church this weekend and be astonished by God. Read Isaiah 61 and you will be prepared to be surprised this weekend.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Exploring Worship

By Pastor Tim White

I love this season of life. This year, we get one more ‘set your clock back’ holiday on November 3. And this is my favorite holiday of the year. I love the rain--it’s an inspiration to read and study. My book per week reading increases at this time of year and what’s better than to be in a book, with a cup of coffee, in front of a fire on a blustering, wet evening in autumn.

This week we explore taking our worship to the next level. A worship that is more authentic and straight from our hearts to the heart of the living God. This means our personal and family worship should be winsomely heart-felt. Worship that leads our TLC’s (Small Groups) to be more restorative and deeper in discipleship. Worship where music and praise come straight from the hearts of the entire congregation. Worship where sermons are given and received from the depths of our souls. I love the opportunity to grow in this area of my heart. We want the giving, communion, prayers and fellowship to take another stride in our passion and sincerity.

It’s going to be a challenging adventure - so let’s get up for entering into the God Zone with new enthusiasm this week!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Send Me!

One of the most startling core beliefs of Washington Cathedral is that we a serving church. We live in a world where people honk their horn in traffic wanting everyone else to get off the road because they are in the way. People are evolving into egocentric members of the new modern society. Washington Cathedral’s core value of “Care for the People You Find and Find People to Care,” does not resonate with some people. I heard someone say: “It makes me tired to think about building the greatest caring network ... can’t I be a Christian and just not care for my neighbors?” And I get it - many people in this age of vacations and energy-saving devices are just tired. We are in an age where we receive reports that over 50% of people feel that nobody cares about them. My heart goes out to them and our community.

Our DNA to care and serve comes from the DNA of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t work if we are not constantly infusing our hearts with the Jesus we have chosen to follow. And the source of my joy and strength is Jesus; and to be on his team and do the things he teaches us to do.

This week we will experience an inspirational worship aimed at freeing us of those things that

weigh us down and rob us if our energy and love of life. If we want to be All In for life, then we need to let down our insecurities and dare to belong. But to belong we need to learn to serve, because that is what following Jesus means. And yes, there is a lot to learn about the way serving can fuel us rather than make us tired. I don’t think any of us can afford to miss this weekend of worship.

Your friend always,

Pastor Tim

Belonging...

Phase One of our new, church-wide campaign on ALL IN brings us to Belonging. The first opportunity for each of us to belong in a local church is a really big step. Most never really experience this step towards life blessing. You can try out a church, even for 35 years, and still miss the security and the rest of knowing that you belong. Isaiah Chapter 2 teaches about this big step. It shows how we must relax and trust in an organization of imperfect people and vast cultural differences. Only God can help unusual people to love one another and become the Family of Christ.

We had a great 35th Anniversary and thank you for your part in the astonishing history of Washington Cathedral! This week hear a testimony from someone who was really transformed by the love, acceptance and forgiveness they found in our fellowship. We have an amazing slideshow of the history of this great caring network. Also, be lifted by the vision of this body of Christ for the near future.

I know you will be encouraged and strengthened in your life from the worship this week. Strengthen your bond of belonging to a great organization who actually believe that-

“greater is he who is in you then he who is in the world.”

Your friend always,

Pastor Tim White

Celebrating 35 Years

by Pastor Tim White

35th Anniversary since the beginning of Washington Cathedral.

Life is lived in moments, not clicks on a dial. You can tell me about your life by telling me great stories of interconnected moments. If you miss those moments, then you miss life.

This weekend is one of those moments that you cannot afford to miss. We will be thanking God with all our hearts, for the past 35 years in this community and experiencing a chain of miracle moments called Washington Cathedral. Everyone is invited to share in an unforgettable moment. The pioneers who established this church, those who helped us who have moved on but still remain part of the family, and new attenders. We all have had a role in this story so let’s celebrate together! The church will be decorated with pictures and balloons. The music will be a “Once-Every-35 years” experience! The worship will cause your heart to soar. Experience the epic story, see the pictures and voices of adventures gone by and experience the vision for the next 35 years. Join in a delicious brunch to enjoy together after the 10:30 service and a short all-church meeting following the brunch. Don’t miss this close encounter with a landmark dream.

Your friend

Pastor Tim White

Get Back Up

by Pastor Tim White

I was waiting and visiting with a good friend as he was getting ready to go to glory. That might sound strange to you, but in my world, it is a vivid depiction of this event. We were laughing and sharing stories as we were waiting for the moment that was coming - he would be passing on to heaven. Finally, he looked up at me as we shared this moment of friendship, and his voice, deep and full of character, said “well it’s been quite a party hasn’t it?” I replied with the same expression in my eyes, just as he started to change the subject - “Yea, it has been quite a party.” I could see and feel the glory of this moment as we looked back on years of adventures with all the amazing victories and defeats. And he did go to glory. Anyone that entered that hospital room right then would have seen, tangibly, that moment of glory.

How? Why? Because my friend had chosen courageously many years ago to get in the Great Game. He was no spectator; he was a full participant in everything that matters in life.

We have been studying from Hebrews 11 - The Faith Chapter and learning about how we can get in the Game of Life.

We conclude our series this week on “How to Get Back Up Again.” We are all going to get knocked down at some point because life is a contact sport. To be in the game is not for the faint of heart. This is an essential skill to learn - the art of getting back up again. Please join us as we move forward in our ‘getting back up again’ skills.

Let me remind you that on the first weekend in October we will be having a Big 35 Year Anniversary Celebration of Washington Cathedral. I have received over one hundred congratulations to our church for this our 35th Anniversary! It is going to be a big party and we would love for you to come.

Your friend for the rest of my life.

Pastor Tim

Fearfully & Wonderfully Made

by Pastor Tim White

"Be yourself - everyone else is already taken.” Oscar Wilde.

When you get to heaven, God is not going to ask you why you weren’t more like Moses. He won’t ask you why you weren’t more like Billy Graham or your dad. He will ask you why you weren’t more like you. Think about it, God designed you. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Jesus Christ died for you so that you could be free of all the weights which would hold you back. He alone can set us free from sin and the urge to self-destruct. God has an idea of you, and it is a beautiful idea. The struggle against all the pressures that would push you to go down the broad road that leads to destruction are great. But Jesus would love to inspire us to take the high road as we reach to become our best selves.

This weekend you will receive the inspiration in our study of the Faith Chapter in Hebrews to go for it. I have a friend who is a football coach and he is having a tough year. He posted on social media, “heck yes, it is a gol’ darn hard year! But I just need one person to believe in me.” That is translated from coach-speak to preacher-speak. I immediately posted - “I believe in you go for it.” He sent me a note - That is all I needed pastor - we are going to turn around this season.

It was Emerson who said, "Faithful to be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is one of the greatest accomplishments.” I can see it. I can see it by watching kids on the playground. I can see it by listening to the voice of an adult who feels that they’ve lost their way. And I can see it in the Love Chapter. I would be so encouraged to see you in church this weekend. Come with an open mind and heart ready to have God download the inspiration that you need in order to be the person that you were meant to be. The music will be great.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

God's Surprises

by Pastor Tim White

Let me share with you a positive thought for your day. Did you know that every day that you have ahead of you, God will surprise you with a gift that you can rejoice and be glad in? As you know I have so many inspirational stories from 45 years of ministry. One of my favorite stories is of a young marine from our church during the Kuwait war. A young Marine Captain was ordered to Saudi Arabia to prepare for the invasion. No one knew how long this war would take. The young marine was a newlywed and as you would expect, his wife was deeply distressed. So, he went to a local florist and asked them to bring his wife flowers every week while he was gone. You can imagine what a blessing this surprise was to the young wife. I have good news! Your Heavenly Father intends to surprise you with a gift every day for the rest of your life. How do you sign up? Come to church and I will tell you how the rest of your life can be a series of amazing gifts from a loving God.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White