God's Word - Your Strength

By Pastor Tim White

I love the Word of God. So many could agree with this statement from all around the world.

“The Bible is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced.” Immanuel Kant

Even those who believe, as Einstein did, that… “The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish.” Einstein in his God letter.

With all his honest criticism Einstein believed that the Bible was honorable but still full of primitive legends which were childish. And this is what I have found of many of the critiques of scripture that many of them still believe that it is a primitive legend, but it is also an insightful portrayal of the primitive human mind.

But for those of us who have fallen in love with the Bible it is a dazzling insight into antiquity and also a practical tool to help us live a better life today. In fact, as we wrestle with the same critical questions and analyze science seriously, we often come to different conclusions. We love the truth and so we cannot ignore science. This is the raw Christian response to scientific inquiry. And we confess that not only do we come to love Scripture, but to trust it as a hope for everyone.

Let me share with you how you can learn to love and trust scripture more and more in your life; how this ancient word can be a strong foundation that can weather every storm that comes against you. And how this doesn’t mean we have to disrespect critical scientists whose honest inquiry also draws us closer to the God of the universe. Our aim is to reach for a relationship with the God who also knows more than we know and so fills us with humility and confidence. I encourage you to read the Bible at breakfast and at night, as a family and a church, as a nation and as we respect other philosophies of life. I pray that you will receive this irresistible attraction to memorizing this word. I envision our enthusiasm growing so great that we can’t but help but share it appropriately. Let’s take a fresh look at this strength that God has provided for each of us. May our society receive healing through its blessings.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Learn About Your Basic Strengths

by Pastor Tim White

I am so excited for our church family to learn about the basic strengths that God has given us as Christians. I love in the Book of Revelation where it pleads for the believers to not neglect their first love (Revelation 2:4). Our first love is Jesus Christ. As a church, we have encouraged married couples to go on a honeymoon break four times a year. In fact, the staff get four honeymoon breaks a year plus their vacation because we want to build marriages and not tear them down. We want this to be one of the basic strengths of our church.

Another one of the basic strengths we have as Christians is prayer. And prayer is neglected by so many Christians today. Many times, Christians turn more people off to Christ than anything else. To me it’s a non-praying Christian who point others the wrong way.

This week we are daring to learn more about the two-way conversation that should be the essence of prayer. It is the “dynamite” part of prayer. Are you praying without any pop? Don’t miss this weekend as we learn to add the dynamite to our prayers.

Your friend for life,

Pastor Tim White

Basic Strengths

By Pastor Tim White

Do you know what your basic strengths are that were endowed to you when you chose to follow Jesus Christ?

One of my favorite jobs was as a high school age basketball coach in the inner city of Pasadena, California. Where we lived, we had a basketball court just outside our kitchen window. All kinds of kids would play on that basketball court from early in the morning until late at night. It took a long time before we could even talk to those kids. Finally, Jackie made a chocolate cake and brought out a thermos of cold milk. We built friendships that lasted a lifetime by forming a basketball team and entering some pretty good tournaments. I’ll never forget showing a 6’5” 8th grader how to slam dunk and then watching him do what I couldn’t do. How thrilling! We lost a lot of games to teams that had players who seemed destined for the NBA. When we entered a tournament in Watts, California along with hundreds of other teams, we won; and one of the prizes was a brand-new basketball which we definitely needed. I have never seen a team get better faster than this team because they had discovered some strengths they never imagined that they had.

And so it is as we study God’s Word and we learn that there are basic strengths we can acquire. That is a great analogy for our Christian lives as we discover our strength of faith to be used the way God wants us to use it. Or it can be praying, trusting, loving, etc. This Sunday I am starting a new series on how to harness our basic strengths in Christ. You will find roots deeper and stronger than you imagined and wings to soar like you have never dreamed.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

The Best is Yet to Come - Part 3

by Pastor Tim White

I must admit I have truly needed this sermon series. It is really challenging me at some core points in my heart and life that really needed the light of this Biblical perspective.  It’s like the person preaching this series has so much in common with me - he knows right where my heart is...yes, it’s me…me and myself are pretty close. 

This is how I have felt the last two parts of this series. This week we will be looking at Philippians 1:12-14 and the scalpel goes even deeper into my heart surgery. Paul writes from prison. I was feeling like I was in prison. Even though the hospital has been a life-saving blessing and; I really wanted to go home. Our home is so comfortable now, but now I feel like I’m in prison and would love to go out. If God is ever going to bless us in the difficulties of life, we have to adapt our expectations and plans to His plan. That’s not easy but it is necessary if the best has yet to come.  I can’t just wish that I was 25 years old, or 15 or 5. I need to meet God now, in the place I find myself. And so, do you. 

Last week, we were blessed to celebrate our grandson Oscar’s fourth birthday. He wants to be a firefighter someday. And we got him a really cool fire truck. He loved all of his firefighter presents. He ate a bunch of his gluten free cupcakes before anyone could catch him. And as he was playing at stopping a fire, he was soaking the floor putting them out. He would run to each of his four grandparents to scream and play in delight. Finally, he tore off his clothes down to his underwear and used colored ink to put on war paint and began to run in circles as we all just laughed.  What would have been sillier would be if I had tried to act like a four- year old again. It would not have been cute - but tragic! When people can’t imagine that the best is yet to come. it’s because they don’t understand that we have to adapt our plans and visions to God’s plans and visions for us.  Meet me this weekend and you will grow like you’ve never dreamed. The best really is yet to come.

 Your friend for the rest of my life,

 Pastor Tim White

Best Is Yet to Come

by Pastor Tim White

I am so excited to share this new series with you. Our lives can become so cracked and broken and we can become so discouraged that we might believe the best is gone and it’s all bad from here on out.

Washington Cathedral has always been committed to helping people come back from the devastation of divorce. I have had a number of close friends go through that difficult experience and I can’t imagine our church not being involved ministries like our Divorce Recovery ministry. Because divorce is like so many of the life events that we all go through. Whether you are in Junior High and are dreading the rest of your life, or if you are a senior adult and know that the losses of your life are too heavy to bear. There is grief, denial and a refusal to accept life circumstances. There can be latent anger at the frustrations of life. The Bible shows us the powerful details to resetting our lives for acceptance, faith in action and joy and hope. And that gives our lives a precious quality. And it is sweeter than we could have ever imagined.

And yet I think a great number of us become stuck at this point. We are not trying to be bitter and overwhelmed. It’s a consequence of a few wrong thinking points.

Join me this Sunday as we challenge this wrong thinking with the light of scripture. It will be fun and inspirational.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

God did it again!

by Pastor Tim White

All my life I have lived astonished by Gods gracious love, having seen so many miracles. We always get a miracle; it just may not be the one we are asking for, but God is working.

I can’t tell you the burden I have been carrying the last several years. Years ago, as our construction project was coming near its completion, the manager came in to tell us that the cost of completion was going to increase by another $3 million and we needed it in within 30 days. After much prayer, we came up with a plan to do a private bond offering of $3.3 million. The congregation had already given sacrificially, and we had borrowed to our max to meet past price over runs just to get where we were. Miraculously, within 30 days, we sold 5, 10, and 15-year bonds to fund the project completion. Our hope was always to pay those off early because if we waited to the maturity date of these bonds, with interest the bonds would more than double in what we would owe the bondholders. When we were forced to sell the property, we were able to pay off all the 5- & 10-years bonds from the sale of the property, but we were left with a portion of the 15-year bonds. I had personally guaranteed to repay those bonds. I knew God have provided us with a fantastic lease at the sale of the property and he would help us find a way to eliminate all of our debt. If I were to tell you the fears, threats, guilt trips that were put on me over that debt for the last several years you wouldn’t believe it. Most people did not want to hear about this debt and many thought of it as my debt.

A few heroes of the faith had the same burning desire that I did to eliminate the debt and with their help, over the past couple of years, we have made great strides in paying down the debt. Well, I am so happy to report that on New Year’s Eve day I received a call that another miracle was in the making. We had received year-end gifts from some individuals equaling enough money to totally eliminate our debt. Our finance team is in the process of transferring the funds to Herring Bank, the Trustee of the bonds. Once the bank gives the required notification of early pay-off to the bondholders, those bonds will be totally retired, and the church will be totally debt free.

I feel born again as I begin the 2020’s. I feel that my new series is truly God anointed – “The Best is Yet to Come - A 2020 vision.” How will it change your life if you are fortified by the Biblical idea that God is just getting started in your life? That is a 2020 vision. So, join me this weekend as I have the honor and the assignment to blow our minds with this powerful truth. We are starting this series in Acts 2.

Your friend for the rest of my life,
Pastor Tim White

PS: God is not finished with us yet.

Amazing Christmas

by Pastor Tim White

Wow what a Christmas! I don’t know how you feel about Christmas 2019, but I am just flabbergasted by all the Grace that God has shown Washington Cathedral. It was a fresh work of our Savior Jesus Christ. Over 1,600 people in our Christmas services with most of them packed with young families.

I don’t know how many times I had young families came up and introduced themselves to me, asking for a family photo with me to remember Christmas. Isn’t that what almost every Church is hoping for? Well, it happened this Christmas. Thank you to all of those who worked so hard to reach out to our Community with the sweet message of Jesus at Christmas!

This weekend, our special guest speaker, Dr. Rey Diaz will be speaking on “Christmas Is…Compassion.” Join us at 5:30 pm on Saturday or 10:30 am on Sunday as we close out the old year and ring in the New Year with a great time of worship.

Also, there is a movement going on in the church encouraging our people to wear Seahawks gear as we get ready for an amazing win against the 49er’s this Sunday. Won’t you join us?

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Quiet in the Midst of Christmas

by Pastor Tim White

This glorious Christmas is my 64th and I just love this Holy day more and more. What do you need from Jesus this Christmas? Well, there are probably various opinions on what you actually need. For me, I would like a new toy. You can never have too many toys. My wife Jackie would probably say something heartfelt, like healing in my knee. To me there are so many people that need healing, so I’d be happy for God to give it to one of them and give me lollipop, a toy firetruck, or something else practical 😊.

One thing I wish everyone in the world would get is some inner quietness, peace, refreshing, and sense of calm. Most are not even aware of their need for this, but it’s needed by all of us. I’ve been reading this precious Christmas story for 64 years and it always brings out a sub-theme of simple peace.

The hymn, “Little Drummer Boy” was written by Ringo Starr in 1968. No, I think it predates the Beatles. However, it was really written by Katherine Davis. The first major recording was by the Trapp Family Singers in 1951. Yes, this Czech traditional folk song was recorded by the real Austrian Trapp family whose story became famous with the movie, “The Sound of Music”.

I love the line, “The ox and lamb kept time, Pa Rum Pa Pum Pum.” When I was young, I thought this lyric was delightfully silly. Today it makes perfect sense. Animals like music and who thinks it is far-fetched that in the stable at the birth of Jesus if there was any music, then I suppose that the animals cooperated? It adds imaginative peace and simplicity to this beautiful Christmas story. 🎄 That is what I pray that Jesus gives you for a miracle this Christmas; quiet peace as you reimagine the simplicity of the first Christmas.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

PS: Please join us this Christmas for “Christmas Lights the Night” Services. Sunday, 12/22, at 4:00 pm or Tuesday, 12/24, at 3:00 pm or 5:00 pm. There will be lots of animals and music. The Christmas Story will come alive for you and your family. We have camel rides, miniature donkeys to pet, pictures with Santa and lots of cookies. At 11:00 – Midnight we have our traditional Christmas Eve Candlelight service for those who like to come back and welcome in Christmas morning in the softness of the night. Go to www.wacathedral.org to get your complimentary tickets for “Christmas Lights the Night”. Invite your family, neighbors, co-workers and friends. We’d love to share the Christmas with them.

Christmas Around the World

by Pastor Linda Skinner

On my trips to Israel, one of my favorite spots to visit is the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth. The current Roman Catholic Church was built upon the foundation of a Byzantine church that was built on what was reported to be the site of the home of Mary the Mother of Jesus. The very home where the Angel Gabriel visited her to announce that she had been selected to give birth to the Savior of all people.

One of the most beautiful displays in this church are the bigger-than-life mosaics of Mary and Child donated by nations from all around the world. What is so special about these mosaics is that each one has Mary and Jesus depicted in their nationality and dress.

On one of my trips as I walked through the gallery of mosaics, I came up a Japanese family gathered in front of the mosaic from Japan. The children were smiling and clapping their hands chattering to their mom and dad with great joy as they pointed at the beautiful Japanese Mary and Baby Jesus. I don’t speak Japanese, but the body language was saying, “Look mommy and daddy, Jesus is just like us.”

This scene reminded me of one of my favorite Christmas Songs. I first heard it on Andy Williams Christmas Album from the 60’s and now I listen every year on my digital album done by James Taylor. The song is “Some Children See Him” and it was written in 1951 by Alferd Burt, a Jazz Musician who wrote a song Christmas Card every year for his friends. The last verse of that song says it all:

The children in each different place
will see the baby Jesus' face
like theirs, but bright with heavenly grace,
and filled with holy light.
O lay aside each earthly thing
and with thy heart as offering,
come worship now the infant King.
'Tis love that's born tonight!

This weekend we are celebrating our International Christmas. Pastor SuJong Baek of our New Korean Congregation will be preaching. Pastor Chet McVay from our Native American Congregation will open us in prayer. We will have our own worship team, also the worship team from our new Hispanic congregation leading us in worship. On Sunday, after the 10:30 service, we will have an international potluck. Bring food to share that celebrates your heritage.

It will be a great reminder to all that Jesus is indeed the “Savior of All People.”

Christmas Blessings,

Pastor Linda

Second Week of Advent

by Pastor Linda Skinner

Last night Rich and I went shopping for toys. We were going to a Christmas Party where the Marines were going to be collecting “Toys for Tots” and we wanted a couple of fun toys to donate to the cause. Now, we haven’t done much “toy shopping” lately all the children in our family have outgrown the toy stage. Their children all live far way and have asked not to be sent any more toys. So, we had no idea of what was on the market lately. I was amazed to see an entire section of interesting “Advent Toys.”

Now, my recollection is of paper Advent calendars with little doors on them that you open to find a little picture reminding you of what Christmas was really all about. Those evolved to more secular Christmas pictures and then to a chest with little draws that might contain a little toy. Much to my amazement, I discovered a whole new complexion to the meaning of Advent. To demonstrate here’s a partial list of some interesting Advent possibilities you can purchase in 2019:

• LEGO – Friends Advent Calendar (Toy solider, Snowmen, Mice, Boom Box, etc.)

• Funko Pocket POP Advent Calendar Harry Potter (Complete with all wizarding characters.)

• Hatchimals CollEGGtibles Advent Calendar – Little animals in Christmas colored Eggs (Complete with Christmas baby chick, cat, bird.)

• Star Wars Micro Force Advent Calendar – Complete with Mini Action Figures by Hasbro (I have to admit R2D2 in a Santa hat is pretty cute.)

These little “Advent” toys, reminded us how easy it is to get caught up in the fun part of Christmas and forget “The Reason for the Season.” I have nothing against the fun, crazy part. I got a big chuckle looking at these crazy Advent calendars. (And, no, we didn’t purchase any of these as our donation.) I think God gets a chuckle too. But I also think this a great reminder to all of us to remember every morning of Advent (and our entire year) that we celebrate a God who is with us “Here and Now!”

This weekend Dr. Marty Folsom will be sharing a great message “Christmas Is God Here and Now!” On this Second Sunday of Advent come join us and celebrate the real meaning of Advent. Eliot, band and choir will be leading us in a Christmas Carol sing. (Eliot asks us to wear our ugliest Christmas sweater, if we dare.) We’d love to have you join us on Saturday night at 5:30 pm or Sunday morning at 10:30 am.

Christmas Blessings to All,

Pastor Linda

PS – Pastor Tim sends his best wishes to all. He had a little repair work done on Wednesday for some internal stitches that came undone, but he is really looking forward to seeing you all at our Christmas Lights the Night Services.