Be the Kindness the World Needs

By Pastor Linda Skinner

Pastor Marilyn Biggs was always one of my mentors in the “kindness” arena. Marilyn had a way about her that even if she was disagreeing with you her approach disarmed you, so it didn’t feel like you were having an argument. It was her demeanor, her voice inflections, and her calmness.

The last conversation I had with Marilyn was about how civility and kindness seemed to be in short supply even within the Christian community. People seemed to be more critical, quicker to get upset and less willing to practice forgiveness and grace. After a long conversation, Marilyn looked and me and said, “We all just need a lot more time with Jesus.” It was only about a week after those words that Marilyn went to be with Jesus. Since I don’t have Marilyn to talk with about this subject, I’ve been doing a lot of praying, thinking, and studying on the topic of “kindness.” What is “kindness?” Where does it come from and how do we tap into it? How can I facilitate “kindness” around me?

This Sunday, January 16, Pastor Tim asked me to share in the series “Keep on Dreaming.” Since it is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, naturally my message title had to be “Courageous Dreaming.” When Marilyn and I discussed kindness, we began to dream about what our world could be like with just a little more kindness in it. One of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s quotes that I love is “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” His dream was a dream of reconciliation and healing. For that he took much criticism. But he stuck to it. He was warned by his closest advisor that he would probably be killed for what he was preaching, and he was. But nothing deterred him.

The “kindness” road is definitely the tougher road to walk, but it is the one that Jesus is walking and for me, that is the road I want to take.

Join me this Sunday as we explore the Courageous Dream walking with Jesus. Worship with us in person at Spirit Falls Sanctuary 10:30 am or online on Facebook Live, YouTube Live, at www.wacathedral.org, or on our WaCathedral App.

Blessings,

Pastor Linda

Why Dreams Are Important

By Pastor Michael Fernandez

Shortly after graduating from the University of Washington (dream 1) & beginning to work, I married my first wife, dream 2 came true. Life was good, so I thought. A couple of years later my wife left me. All these thoughts began to come into my mind. Michael, you are not loved, Michael you are alone, you are not worthy, you are not special, your failures define you.

Life Becomes Pointless without Dreams & Visions
Proverb 29:18, “18a Where there is no vision, the people perish. NKJV

Life had become pointless, and I ran away from it. I landed a new position at work where I traveled 3 ½ weeks a month for the next couple of years. By keeping so busy, I felt no pain. I wasn’t living life. I was just existing. Life had become pointless but I did not know it. Then in March of 1985, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. It was the first time I saw myself through the eyes of Jesus Christ and not in what the world said I was. Don’t let the world define you. I made a list of what I was doing when I was happiest in my life and what I was doing now. The only difference was when I was happiest, I was attending church.

Shortly after a friend invited me to a little start up church called ECCC (Now Washington Cathedral), meeting at Lake Washington High School. So, I began attending. The young Pastor there had big dreams and that attracted me. Next, I was encouraged to remember a dream God had placed on my heart years ago. It came from Dick Sanders the Singles Pastor from Cathedral of Joy. I had been attending the church for a couple of years when I went on my first Singles Retreat. There were six of us from Emerald City Community Church and we went to the Cathedral of Joy’s Singles Summer Retreat on the coast. We were waiting to have breakfast on the final day when Pastor Sanders stood up and says, “this morning we are going to have a Pastor from Emerald City Community Church say a prayer and bless the food.” Shocked I heard him saying “Pastor Michael Fernandez would you lead us in prayer?” “I’m not a pastor,” I said to myself. I had never prayed in front of strangers before. I stood up and prayed and Pastor Dick Sanders was speaking a prophetic word it would seem.

Have you ever noticed a small, nagging feeling that something was missing from your life? That is how I felt at the time.

I flash-back to 1968 when Father Manning had first asked me as a young person to think about going to Seminary and become a priest. I felt God calling me into ministry then. After all, I was the Altar Boy of the Year for all the Seattle area. But I squashed that big dream. Fast forward, I had been hurting for over a year since my first wife left me. I was down, feeling unworthy, feeling like I had no integrity etc. I had no vision or dreams, and I was a just wandering around. Desperately searching for meaning in my life I was truly dying inside. Even my small dreams were gone of being married, having children and a house I could call home. Then thanks to Pastor Sanders a little spark began to re- ignite a Dream God had placed in me while I was in 8th grade in 1968. It had been 17 years since God called me into ministry and I refused Him out of pride and that invisible wall of fear. I was in good company after all, Joseph spent years honing his leadership skills in prison before he rose to rule EGYPT. David spent years hiding in the desert caves leading 400 men who were distressed, in debt, or discontented before he was fully prepared to become King.

Ask yourself.

1. How much do you want your Dream to come true?
2. Do you believe in the Dream Giver enough to trust His Purpose and accept His plan of preparation even when you don’t understand or agree with it?

God first called me to ministry in 1968. It was re-kindled 17 years later. Then it took another 9 years of preparation for a total of 26 years. Now it’s been 28 years and I have been fulfilling that dream. Remember to listen to God. Life becomes pointless without Dreams & Visions. Two years later I married Teresa and pledged to Austin and Justin to love them and be their dad. Two years after that our daughter came into this world. All those things I dreamed about as a child have come to pass. Now I am beginning to Dream once more, looking for what plans God has for me now!

Join us on Sunday at 10:30am either In-Person in our Sanctuary or On-line (Church Apps, You Tube or Facebook Live) to hear more and discover what dreams God has for you to fulfill.

Blessings

Pastor Michael

Keep On Dreaming

By Pastor Tim White

Jackie and I stopped just to watch the kids sledding down the hill. It was so much fun! It brought back a lifetime of memories of tobogganing when we were kids. We didn’t have water-proof clothes but we did have dawn to dusk laughing, wrecks, hot chocolate, snow ball fights and flying through the air. Pretty soon a bunch of cars pulled up to us next to the theatres in Monroe to watch the kids playing in the snow. A couple of boys didn’t have an inner tube or anything to slide on. They would run until they fell to their knees and would continue to slide until they would fall face down then slide as fast as they could on their bellies. Their laughter just warmed the day. As we watched more and more cars lined up next to us and we were all enjoying this great sight.

When life is lived in such an exemplary way as kids playing on a snowy hill people stop and watch. The joy, adventure and the simple authenticity of that moment are really spectacular. What if we lived 2022 in the same way and people had to notice. Never stop dreaming. Get out of your car and climb the snowy high ground to really live. Let’s never stop dreaming. We are beginning a new revitalizing series entitled Keep on Dreaming so we can recapture the imagination, fun and adventure of our lives. Just like the kids on a snowy hill in Monroe on Christmas break let's keep on living life with all the fullness that God designed us for. Let me share with you this week from Genesis from the story of Joseph so that we can keep on dreaming.

I’m praying that your life will be so full of life, fun and exciting faith that it will make the world stop and watch.

Join us this Sunday at 10:30am (In-person in the Sanctuary, or on-line with Facebook Live, You Tube or the Church Apps) as I begin a new series entitled Keep on Dreaming. You really need to be there as we begin this new series. It will refresh your life and you won’t be disappointed!

Your friend always.

Pastor Tim White

Merry Christmas!

By Pastor Tim White

With all the stress of the last year, Christmas still works. I am basking in Christmas Peace thinking of all those people I love. And what a blast it is to have waiters and store cashiers share their problems with me after I wish them Merry Christmas. And after our short talk they smile and say Merry Christmas. What joy we share in one of those magical Christmas moments!

I hope you are remembering our service, Christmas Lights the Night at 4:00 pm on Christmas Eve. Two camels will be there, one to pet and one to ride. We have a beautiful actress that plays Mary at our church. She always radiates Christmas Peace. And Joseph’s heart fits the bill. Sheep, a donkey, chickens, and I am going to ask Pastor Linda to bring her puppy Barclay again this year because he has a way that just touches people at Christmas.  Shepherd, Wise Men, and the cutest little Cherub dancers following our lead ballerina (12 years old) during our favorite carol, Oh Holy Night.   The harpist, the choir, Eliot and his Christmas band and Chelsea singing Christmas carols like, well a way that only a new mom can sing.  It is only one hour. We have Christmas cookies and fellowship following the service if you like. And we have put in a brand-new heating and air conditioning which recycles clean air in a way that was designed to help resist Covid. Yes, masks and twinkling eyes.  And best of all a warm Merry Christmas from all your friends at Washington Cathedral.

Merry Christmas,
Pastor Tim White

By Pastor Tim White

Do you feel the Hope in this season of Christmas?  We might be discouraged in one area of life, but it does not mean we can’t feel Hope about another area of our life.  Right? Hope is a choice, and the Scriptures teach us, step by step, just how it works. But more than that, Hope is all around us and we need to just relax refocus and experience it.

This Sunday our Special Guest is Dr. Rey Diaz Executive Director of Orphan Outreach.  His business is to bring Hope to some of the poorest of the poor children around the world.  And as we know, this is his passion from the depth of his soul. The good news is we can and have helped with that mission.   Rey is one of the favorite sons of our church. He was our youth pastor and spent three years as lead pastor before accepting his dream job at Orphan Outreach.  Rey would love to see you, so come by on Sunday at 10:30am at our In-Person Service (or online with the Church Apps, You Tube or Facebook Live) to be a part of a very inspirational message of Hope.

Your friend,
Pastor Tim

By Pastor Tim White

Do you have someone in your life that is such a giver that when you ask them what they want for Christmas they really don’t know?  My mom is like that, so she has played a little game with me ever since I was a kid. I ask her what she wants, and she answers, “World Peace”. Not an easy gift to deliver. If I could give every one of my friends a gift this Christmas, I would choose peace.   Peace is what I am praying for each of us this Christmas. 

We cross paths with all kinds of people each week. Rich, poor, tall, short, angry or stressed are common to most of the people we run into.  But rarely do we cross paths with a person of peace.  When we do, it is a treat, because their peace influences us to be able to relax, savor, enjoy and be refreshed.  Just as an uptight person influences us to be more hurried or stressful, a person of peace inspires us to calm the heck down. 

This Sunday we will be studying the Peace of Christmas. We will discover how it gives each of us a way to relax and become people of peace. Please join us at 10:30am on Sunday at our in-person service or on- line with either the Church Apps, You Tube or Facebook.

We also have a Special Music Guest: Classical Soprano, Ellaina Lewis will be with us to bless.

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

Joy to the world the Lord has come!

By Pastor Tim White

This Sunday, for us at Washington Cathedral, is the Advent Sunday of Joy. It’s hard for us to imagine a Christmas season the way it ought to be without joy. These include our best visions and memories of the Christmas season. What would it be without gut-busting laughter, kids waking up way too early, laughter at Christmas services from donkeys that refuse to walk the aisle? Sheep that baa way too much, wardrobe malfunctions. Frosty taking over the show while everyone gets uncontrollable giggles. Tiny cherubs who become hilarious divas and the preacher who gets mixed up and uses his comments to completely embarrass himself. And what about those dumb Christmas jokes you hear throughout the season such as “what do you call a kid who refuses to believe in Santa? A rebel without a clause.” Joy abounds!

Join us this Sunday morning at 10:30am in our In-Person service or Online (YouTube, Facebook Live or Church Apps) to discover the healing power of Christmas through joy.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Advent Lights the Night

By Pastor Tim White

This time of year can really be dark. It seems like yesterday that 5:00 am was a beautiful time to enjoy the spectacular sunrises in the Pacific Northwest. Now 5:00 am is like the middle of a very dark night. In this dark time of year, we miss light. And we need light to shine into our lives. As for the rest of our planet, light brings health, optimism, new energy, and motivation.  

Most religions in non-equatorial regions developed festivals to mark the darkest days of the year with hope. Christians celebrated this time leading into Christmas with Advent. And since early Christians struggled to know the date of Christ’s birth the darkest time of the year was when it became tradition to celebrate this holy festival of Christmas.  

The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming” which is a translation of the Greek word Parousia.  By the 6th century, however, Roman Christians had tied Advent to the coming of Christ. We celebrate Advent in the four weeks leading up to Christmas. The Catholic Tradition had Hope, Faith, Joy and Peace all leading to Love on Christmas morning. As each new reformation took place, different churches would change the order as Martin Luther did in reviving the faith of German Lutherans. Each tradition of Advent was meaningful.

I like to follow the Catholic Order because it is the oldest, but I could celebrate any Christian Order of Advent. This year Dr. Rey Diaz is going to be here on Sunday the 19th of December to preach and he asked to preach on Hope. So, we change the order and rotated Hope to the 19th of December and Faith then becomes our opening to Advent.

We need this season to refresh our faith. Stagnant faith becomes rigid and cold. This season is designed to renew our lives, our churches, our nation, and our families. We all need to kick off Advent 2021 with a faith infusion. Please join us at our In Person Service or Online this Sunday at 10:30am. Online can be found on You Tube, Facebook Live or the church Apps.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Beautiful Gifts

By Pastor Linda Skinner

I hope everyone has or has had someone in their life that they could say, regardless of their age: “When I grow up, I want to be just like _________.” Well for me there have been and still are several of those people. Of course, we believe that everyone is a “Gift” and that everyone is “Gifted”. But there are some of those people whose gifts are “something special.” It doesn’t matter what their gift is, it can come in all shapes and sizes. But you see them using their gift and it is beautiful.

I’ll give you an example. “When I grow up, I want to be like Marilyn Biggs.” (I’m 73 years old and I’m still feeling that way.) I think Marilyn had gifts of faith, teaching, prayer and evangelism. And often sprinkled with a few other things as well as the need arose. But it wasn’t her gifts that impressed me over the years. It was the way she used those gifts. Every gift the Holy Spirit gave her, she wrapped it in God’s love. She was strong lady and she would speak truth into your life without hesitation. But it was always wrapped in love.

When I visited with Marilyn about 10 days before she went to be with Jesus for eternity; she told me about a nurse she encountered at the hospital. It was the first time I ever heard her say anything bad about another person. She told me this nurse was grouchy all the time, never smiled and Marilyn was pretty sick. Marilyn told me she said to her “you are not a very nice person.” I said a “woohoo—how did she take that?” Her response to Marilyn’s was, “no one has ever told me that.” Marilyn just gave her the Marilyn look, and said “I’ll be praying for you, maybe you need the love of Jesus in your life.” (I don’t know how to write that look down, but the next time you see me I’ll show you.) The nurse said, “I’m sorry, please forgive me.” Now only Marilyn could pull that one off. A gift wrapped in the love of God.

As I am preparing to wrap up our 8-week series on Spiritual Gifts this Sunday with 1 Corinthians 13 (the Love Chapter) I couldn’t help but think of my friend, my mentor, my sister in Christ. I learned so much from her and I miss her terribly. We will have a lot of catching up to do in heaven. And who knows, maybe I will get to meet her nurse there with her. I wouldn’t be surprised.

Hope you can join us this Sunday at 10:30 am In Person at Spirit Falls Sanctuary or Online via Facebook Live, YouTube Live, www.wacathedral.org, or WaCathedral App (Apple, Google, Amazon)

Just remember always “You are a Gift – Embrace It.”

God Bless You,

Pastor Linda Skinner

Success Through Your Gift

By Pastor Tim White

Something deep inside of us wants us to be a success. We want to discover our best selves and hopefully we have learned that real success is to become the person God wants us to be. I think every human being has that sense of God’s plan for their life. People get sidetracked by cheap imitations. They want to be confident, and cocaine is a cheap imitation, and its path leads to destruction. Many want to be peaceful, so people use heroin or one of its sister drugs. Some want enthusiasm, so they use meth as a cheap substitute. A lot of people are desperate for love, so they become addicted to illicit sex.

To battle those perversions, we need to meet our deepest desires by becoming the person that God has designed us to be. And we can’t do that until we discover our spiritual gifts, and we find a way to use them as the body of Christ.

How do you find that gift and how to use it?

1) You need to have an authentic relationship with your Creator. Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit which prevents you from the connection that establishes your gift.

2) You need to learn about God’s spiritual gifts. What they are or what they are not. And how to use them.

3) Take an online Spiritual Gift Inventory. And learn more about yourself.

4) Get feedback from leaders in the church and match your giftedness to the need of the Team Jesus.

5) Try using your gifts and see if they are fruitful.

When you are operating in your giftedness you will discover a genuine source of confidence, peace, excitement, and love that you can’t find any other way.

Remember you are a gift embrace it.

Come join us either In Person on Sunday at 10:30am or Online with Church Apps, You Tube or Facebook Live. Learn more about how to have a more fulfilling life using your Spiritual Gifts.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White