By Pastor Tim White

Jesus asked us to follow him.

We are learning a lot of life changing information by studying the red-letter verses of the Bible. When Jesus speaks there is so much to learn about how to best communicate. Jesus says in Mark 1:17 “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” The example in how we live our lives is at least as important as what we say. When your kids, grand kids, spouse, parents, grandparents, or friends listen to you they are going to hear what you say as well as watch what you do. Jesus says, “follow me”. In other words, let’s walk, work, talk, play, cry, and believe together as we have our conversation. Everything else seems so surface or superficial by comparison. If we do this with our family and friends, it will take communication to a much deeper level.

Oh, how I wish every parent could hear this lesson this Sunday. It would change the yelling at, rules quotations, put downs, and conflicts if we could understand that we can share our lives and not just preach to someone with whom we are trying to communicate.

Join us Sunday at 10:30am for either the in-person service or online service (via You Tube, Facebook Live or the church apps) for this life changing lesson.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Believe!

By Pastor Tim White

I love the story of Norman Vincent Peale’s friend and psychiatrist Smiley Blanton. Dr. Blanton had his faith crushed when during World War II, his son became a Chaplain in the US military. On the way to Europe, the ship he was traveling on was torpedoed by a German submarine. All of the chaplains on board gave up their seat on the life rafts to others and stayed aboard the sinking ship to pray for everyone trying to escape. A picture was taken of the chaplains praying which made the world press. So, Dr. Blanton had a picture of his son praying as the ship sunk. This caused the psychiatrist to lose his faith and sink into a deep depression. His counselor asked him to battle his depression and grief by waking up at dawn and looking out the window and say out loud “I believe - I believe - I believe.” This broken man was healed of his broken faith and became one of the great encouragers in the United States.

This week in our series on the Words of Jesus we will study where Jesus told us to believe. Don’t miss it. We all need this.

Join us for either the in-person service or the online service (You Tube, Facebook Live or church Apps) on Sunday morning at 10:30am.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Words That Work

By Pastor Tim White

It may come as a bit of a surprise to everyone that Pastor Linda Skinner is retiring in March 2022. She always seems so young and has been a big part of our Church family. I know she and Rich are looking forward to more time together and more time to spend with family and friends in other parts of the world.

To quote what she told Jackie and I, “I love my job and I love this church, but Rich is really looking forward to a bit of time together while we can still enjoy the adventures of traveling with the time and good health we have been blessed with. This will always be our church family and we will be here when we are not globetrotting.”

Linda came to our church on the second Sunday after our church began. She and Rich have always been a part of the core of Washington Cathedral. In the early years they hosted the weekly choir practice in their home. After the third year of our church she, Jackie and Naomi joined the paid staff of the church. Linda’s area of focus was on building TLC’s (small groups) and she really excelled at that. That ministry grew and at one time we had 150+ TLC’s in our church, not counting international congregations. She has always been a big help on the finance team. Thinking of all the highs and lows the church went through; we always had fun and laughter at our meetings. Later in the church she took on the Women’s Ministries, which was fruitful with very deep friendships cultivated. And yes, there were hospital calls, counseling, weddings, funerals, preaching and teaching.

We are so happy that Rich and Linda will continue to be a vital part of our church ministries and she will preach from time to time. Also, she will continue to play a vital role in women’s’ ministry as a volunteer.

We want to make sure that we are a church that allows our pastors to retire and still be a part of our church family, so please give them space especially as they take the first year to do a lot more traveling. That means no late-night calls or calling and dumping negativity on she or Rich. We want a long, healthy life for both of them.

We will be having a get together after the service on February 27th, where we can celebrate her life and ministry. We will announce this in services two weeks before that date.

Thank God, for Pastor Linda and her important role in the saga of Washington Cathedral.

Pastor Tim White

PS: Looking forward to starting our new sermon series this Sunday, “Words that Work” (Breakthrough words of Jesus.) beginning with Jesus words in Mark 1:17. You can join us for a worship at 10:30 am in Spirit Falls Sanctuary or catch us online at the same time at Facebook Live, YouTube Live, the WaCathedral App or our website www.wacathedral.org

God’s Dreams - How They Work
By Pastor Tim White

It happened during an all-church prayer meeting praying for Peter while he was in prison. They were ready to pray all night. But their prayers were interrupted by Peter knocking at the door. They couldn’t believe it was him, so they kept on praying even after Rhoda told them it was Peter. They left Peter knocking at the door.

How many times are we stuck praying when the answer is knocking at the door, but we just can’t believe it.

A long time ago we had a chance given to us by the City of Redmond to put up a beautiful electric sign outside the church. When we got the bid on it, my heart just sank. It would be $40,000. That was way out of our league. I went to my bedroom and got on my knees and started to pray. I was having a great prayer time that lasted over two hours. And from the first words of prayer when I told the Lord of my problem, I felt in my heart that God spoke to me and told me very clearly. “Don’t worry about it, Tim. $40,000 is a lot to you, but it is very little to me. Don’t worry, I’ve got this”. But I did worry, and I kept praying for two hours, still hearing the same message repeatedly for two hours but never believing it. Jackie interrupted my prayer after two hours and said, “Your dear friend from the Tri-Cities, Bob Johnson is on the phone for you.” When I started to talk to him, he was excited and told me that the Lord had just spoken to him and told him to give us $40,000. You can imagine how excited I was as I went back into my bedroom to thank God. When I did, God seemed to ask me the question, “How do I know Bob has the money and will give it to the church?” I thought, “That’s a good point, I don’t know how many times someone has told me they were going to give money to the church only to inform me later they decided to keep the money or give it instead to another charity.” And then it dawned on me, why didn’t I believe God when he told me this is easy, he had it. But I believed my friend Bob Johnson when he told me over the phone.

I got up thinking I was so stupid. What a mistake. But I learned a valuable lesson. Come to church Sunday at 10:30am either on-line (You Tube, Facebook Live or the Church Apps) or to the in-person service as we discuss How Dreams Work. I think we will all learn something very profound and life changing.

Your friend for life,

Pastor Tim White

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