Happy New Year Washington Cathedral! Chelsea Maitland here.

Tomorrow morning we will hear from Pastor Tim White- who will preach from Galatians 5 and teach us about freedom in Christ and being in-step with the Holy Spirit.

When I initially read Galatians 5 I think about the book of Leviticus. I won't lie to you- Leviticus has a lot of what looks like rules. But what I learned about the rules in Leviticus is that they are God teaching God's people, how to be God's people. I love this passage in Leviticus 26 from the Message: It says, 11-13 “I’ll set up my residence in your neighborhood; I won’t avoid or shun you; I’ll stroll through your streets. I’ll be your God; you’ll be my people. I am God, your personal God who rescued you from Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians. "

"I will set up my residence in your neighborhood!" Not only did God rescue the Israelites but now God is saying to them, I'm going to teach you how to be my people and I will live among you. 

When we talk about Galatians 5 I think about Leviticus because Galatians 5 is about following the way of Jesus and not the way of ourselves- and the freedom that comes in giving-up our own way and following Jesus.

God teaches us how to be God's people. And God gives us the Holy Spirit to be among us- and "set-up residence in our neighborhoods." Let us find freedom in Jesus by loving one-another and being in-step with the Holy Spirit through the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Peace be with you,

Chelsea

Wow what a sensational Christmas! 

Merry Christmas everyone. I feel so much love for our church family this time of year. Forty-nine years of being a pastor just touches my heart with how short life is and how very, very, precious it is. Merry Christmas! I think I already said that but don’t you just love saying Merry Christmas to everyone? Our Christmas Eve service at 4:00 pm should work tomorrow as they are predicting warmer temperatures. This is my last chance to tell the Christmas story and I am stoked!!!  The children of our church are cuter than ever and we want to make the real meaning of Christmas better than ever for them. Interactive manger scene with live animals they can pet- and live Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and wisemen.  The cookie room is decorated the best it’s ever been with a hot chocolate bar, eggnog, amazing coffee and tea plus the best part: your friends all here together.  Watch our website in case there is a weather change that we have to close. But we will be online no matter what!  And breakfast Sunday- Christmas morning- as well as Dr. Rey Diaz preaching.  Christmas is going to be sensational! And did I tell you from the bottom of my heart? Merry Christmas!

See you at 4pm for our Christmas Eve service and 11am Christmas morning (10:15 if you want breakfast!)

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

As I was looking for Christmas music arrangements this year Eliot introduced me something called Reawaken Hymns- a resource that helps worship leaders incorporate hymns into their worship set. One Reawaken Hymns song we are playing on Christmas Eve- and it's from an album called, The Soul Felt It's Worth. 

That title moved me. I have sung Christmas hymns my whole life- caroling, in worship services, in the car, to my kids, etc. But I've never paid close attention to the lyrics. In "O Holy Night" the very first verse says, "Long lay the world/ In sin and error pining/ 'Til he appeared and the soul felt its worth". 

Isn't that joy? To be doing life in our own way, on our own time, doing what's best for ourselves- sin and error pining- and then insert Jesus. Insert belonging. Insert selflessness. Insert love. Insert joy in the midst of even suffering. Insert following Jesus.

You see, Advent is not just a few weeks of singing Christmas songs and decorating our Christmas trees. Advent is about the anticipation of Jesus coming to be with us. It's a time that we get to prepare our hearts and remember that God Emanuel, meaning God with us, came to be with us in the flesh. A time for us to remember that God loves us so much, that God would literally send Jesus, God's son, to live among us. What joy. What belonging. What love. 

The soul felt its worth. 

Do you know your worth? Do you know the joy of your worth in Jesus? 

Tomorrow is week 4 of Advent: Joy. Pastor Mark Nsimbi is going to teach us about the biblical meaning of joy and distinguishing joy from happiness. He says, "The true source of joy is God himself! Our joy comes from God and is rooted in the salvation we receive from Christ."

Let heaven and nature sing about that!

See you tomorrow at 10:30am in our sanctuary, or on Facebook Live, YouTube, and our church app.

May the peace and joy of the Lord be upon you,

Chelsea Maitland

Christmas Love

Can you really do Christmas without love?  I think the greatest Christmas scripture of all is John 3:16-17:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

Another great one is john 15:12. This statement again by Jesus is what Christmas is all about:

"This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you."

Don’t you think that every grandma at Christmas time is saying this as she visits with her family?

If you want to increase the love factor in your life and family, then join us at Washington Cathedral at 10:30 am this Sunday. I promise you that if you are open that God will do his work and fill your life with Christmas love.

Your friend for the rest of my life, 

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Pastor Tim White

Peace on earth and goodwill to all! If this passage in Luke 2:14 was the only thing I knew about God I would become a Christian. The angels are God’s messengers, and this message of peace is sorely needed today.

The war in the Ukraine is devastating. Not only have thousands been killed but many have had to flee their homes and join the armies. Families are waiting without power and waiting to see if the next missel will strike them. What kind of person dares to dream of peace on earth? Only God.

When I read the stories of violence and murder in our community it is deeply concerning. Yet Jesus' birth was announced by the vision of Peace on Earth. I have spent 48 years being a full-time pastor and doing counseling. I can't count the number of marriages and families broken up because of our human inability to handle conflict the way that Jesus taught us. As humans we have a predisposition to poor conflict resolution skills. We need peace on earth and Good will to all.

This week we are going to have a professional counselor share in an interview about what her secrets are to helping busy, stressed-out people like us experience peace. And Pastor Mark will be sharing a powerful message on the peace of Christmas. I hope you can make it. Come and see the new Christmas decorations this year.

Our service of course is at 10:30 Sunday morning at 10:30 am in-person and online.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Advent starts this Sunday, and for centuries Christians all over the world have observed advent in their pre-Christmas literature. It was not started by the early church because unlike Easter we don’t even know what time of year that was. But it has been an important teaching moment to remind us or teach us the whole message of Christmas. This Sunday I will begin the series with the candle of hope. I have a couple of extra special surprises for you if you choose to come worship in-person or online with us.

I know you will be astonished and lifted by the services this week. Our music has been getting better and better all the time. And that is splendid because we want those worshiping with us to so be close to God that we all can’t help but be empowered to live the amazing life that God has planned for each of us. We will see you there.

Free Eastern Washington eggnog for those who wish.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

This week Pastor Mark Nsimbi is going to wrap up our series on the Lord’s Prayer. What a joy it has been for Pastor Mark to be a part of our team. We are not waiting for a year-and-a half (March 2024) until Mark begins to use his innovative gifts. Already God is working through Mark’s soul to help us implicate creative change. One of the big points is to rebuild the prayer life of our church to be better than ever. The sermon series on prayer is coming to a close but the world-shaking prayer life of our church is just getting started.
”Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” is going to be at the target of Marks message. And yes- it is a message we all can benefit from.

God has made it possible to win- over evil- in our lives. So don’t miss this week, this message, this word.
You will be lifted.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to really live. I think all of us who read this blog are living? If you are reading this and you are not alive, then maybe you should check to see if you are in heaven! Forgive my weird sense of humor- but I'm trying to make a point. There is living- which everyone does- then, there is what I am going to call really living!

In our church Namuli, Violet, Owen, Nassali and Micah really live. Every time I am around those amazing kids their capacity to live just lifts my soul. Maybe that is why Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” I really can’t express how completely those kids are bringing renewal into my life and our church.

Jesus teaches us this powerful way of living through the Lord’s Prayer by describing how to reach out and pull towards the force of life every day. And how to deal with the drag which inhibits our capacity to really live.

I have the honor of teaching these principles this Sunday in my message on the Lord’s Prayer.

Won’t you join us and explore the pull toward real living versus the drag which holds so many back.

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

Unseen good news is happening right now. 

Pastor Mark Nsimbi will be teaching from the Lord’s Prayer this weekend in our series, "Rooted in Prayer".

There is a force behind events in this world that very few see.  It is the need inside every human heart for the Kingdom of God.  Abraham Maslow discovered something called the Hierarchy of Needs. What Is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs? It's a theory of motivation which states that five categories of human needs dictate an individual's behavior. Those needs are physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.

In other words, basic needs are built into our biological being and they will be fulfilled by the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the power and community of God transforming real people in a real way. When we live forever it will be with the Kingdom of God. But heaven touches our lives now as we discover that God's way is the best way.  Treachery, greed, looking out for #1 is not the best way to have those needs met for ourselves or our families. God's way is the only way to realize His Kingdom in our lives.

I am so excited to hear from the heart of Pastor Mark as he teaches us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Won’t you join us?

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

I am so excited to share with you how God will answer 100% of your prayers. Pastor Mark challenged me that we need to lead with our prayer ministry in rebuilding Washington Cathedral. Pastor Jackie challenged us to preach a sermon series on being rooted in prayer. And here it comes right at you: a fresh renewal of prayer in your life.

Do you want to be at the heart of a great work of God? Come to church this weekend to begin a dynamic Bible study on prayer. It’s going to be a new beginning and I promise all of you that we will see some miracles happen before our very own eyes. Jesus was waiting for His followers to really listen and they only asked for one thing: teach us to pray.

Jesus answered them in the Lord's Prayer. It is the climax to the only full sermon that we have from Jesus. What a joy to kick-off this series.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White