"New Beginnings"

Devotional thoughts from the Washington Cathedral Writers’ Group

“Change” By Abby Hegge

Beginnings are often feared by people because they bring change. Change is often feared by people because there is a chance for something to go wrong when things happen differently. However, if we always fear change, how can we move forward? How will our lives get better if we are too afraid to accept the blessings that God offers us? If Gideon had been too afraid to follow the Lords call and lead the Israelites against the Midianites, Israel would have been poor, starving, and overrun by cruelty and sin.Happily, Gideon had the courage to do as God asked, and nothing bad happened. In fact, because of this courage, Gideon became an honored hero, and a lot of good happened. If God is asking you to do something, listen to Him, because your life will change for the better. Don’t let your heart be overcome by fear, but open it to God’s voice. Godly change leads to good.

“New Beginnings” By Marilyn Biggs

He is dead! He has gone to Heaven! My husband of 54 years has gone from my life!

Life as I have known it for so many years is over - no more breakfasts and dinners together, nobody to cuddle up to in bed. Trips to Mexico and other fun places will be no more - that Time Share was fun for a while!

No one to take out the garbage or wash the car! Family times together will be missing it’s most exuberant member, no onesneaking in doughnuts and candy bars! No ball games blasting away on 2 different TV sets!

This season of life is over! God called Bill home, and I will miss him. So, a “new beginning” ahead, a new life without Bill.Life does go on! I must go on until God calls me tome too. As long as I’m still here, God has something for me to do!

God led Bill and I to Washington Cathedral 14 years ago, and He called us into ministry here. Well, there is still “kingdom work” to be done at Washington Cathedral, in that new ReCreation Center. I have more time now to pray and be involved in more activities here. I am loved and valued here, and there is much to do: people to love, lessons to learn and lessons to teach,assignments to carry out, and more friends to meet and fellowship with, to spread the Good News to.

Thank you Lord, for planting me here at Washington Cathedral before you took my loved one home. You knew I would be in good hands here. The next “New Beginning” I will experience will probably be the beginning of eternity in Heaven with Jesus and reunion with my loved ones.

"Angels Among Us?"

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” Matthew 25:40

Hey Pastor Tim,

I have a few questions for you. I went on the church website today and saw the headline and was taken aback. It was talking about angels being all around us.

You see late last night I was leaving the grocery store. It was snowing and freezing outside. Before I pulled out onto the main road I saw a woman standing on the side of the road with her dog. She had a sign asking for anything anyone could spare. Now usually I am not one to give things away to homeless people (perhaps that is bad - I don’t know) but for whatever reason I felt so strongly for that woman. Usually my boyfriend is the one who gives, gives, gives - but this time it was me who felt for the person.

I had my boyfriend turn the car around. We parked the car and marched right up to that woman. We asked if we could get her something to eat or get her a coffee. This woman was close to 65 years old, missing many teeth and practically blind. She was all bundled up, but still freezing. The woman replied with, “Just a coffee and maybe something for my doggie.” Here she is freezing and she wants her dog to be able to eat, because he is the only thing she has. We went to Starbucks and bought a turkey sandwich and the biggest coffee they had and brought them to her. I will never forget the eyes of that woman, she was so grateful. It honestly made my day!

You know, it’s funny because it happens that my car payment is late. When you have the least amount of money and are almost out of gas, you have to trust the Lord. I left there trusting that I would have gas until Friday (payday) and knowing that that woman wouldn't go hungry that night.

As we were driving home, I just knew that situation was a test from God. I thought, “I wonder if she was an angel?” I went home thinking nothing more of it and then woke up to find the headline "Are There Angels All Around Us?" My question is, “Are there? Was that homeless woman just a woman who I was feeding or an angel? Is that possible?”

Brianna Howell

Today Is The Day!

Today is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalms 118:24

The Israelis have a saying that’s lasted for centuries “Next year in Jerusalem.” At Washington Cathedral we have had a saying for the last four and a half years “Next week in our new ReCreation Center.” It is with indescribable joy that I announce to you that ~ “Next week we WILL be in our new ReCreation Center!!!”

Pastor Rey Diaz - the Lead Pastor & Chief Cultural Architect of this meta church called Washington Cathedral will be preaching this weekend. Each service will end with everyone walking over to the new ReCreation Center for a moment of incredible thanksgiving. Pastor Rey brings a very thankful heart from the city dump in Honduras and this will be a service that you will never forget.

“The Glory of Christmas” our dramatic presentation of Christmas, designed by Dr. Dale White and Rev. Naomi Blake, will be at 6:30 pm on Sunday, December 21st, Monday, December 22nd and Tuesday, December 23rd. This year’s drama will be the first of many (and just a taste of what’s to come) on one of the largest theatrical stages on the eastside. Why not experience the first one and bring a friend!

Christmas Eve will be a family service ~ I will share a short, positive Christmas message and your favorite soloists from Washington Cathedral will sing for you. There will be a manger scene, a harpist and of course communion with a dramatic ending ~ the lighting of hundreds of candles while we sign silent night. The 6:30 pm service will be in the new Mountainside Sanctuary of the ReCreation Center and the 11:30 pm service will be in the Spirit Falls Sanctuary (our current sanctuary).

Here are the new service times and locations beginning on December 27th & 28th. Saturday Night Service will be held in the Spirit Falls Sanctuary (our current sanctuary) at 6 pm. Sunday at 9 am (our Classical Service) will be held in the Spirit Falls Sanctuary. Sunday at 10:30 am we will hold our first service in the new Mountainside Sanctuary of the ReCreation Center (this is our Blended Service). At 10:30 am our Esperanza congregation will have service in the Spirit Falls Sanctuary. At 12:00 we will have a Youth Service in the Mountainside Sanctuary for all our young people, their friends and those who have been working at the 10:30 hour. And at 5 pm we will have our Sunday 5 service in the Spirit Falls Sanctuary. All services will include the celebration of communion and a family-style meal afterwards.

So… see you in our amazing new ReCreation Center. This has been a long awaited day! Bring your friends… and bring yourself!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Tim White

“AN OLD CAVE BELOW BETHLEHEM”

I was instantly, gloriously deaf!
And a little disoriented- - -
Standing there a stupid four feet from the big bells in the tower of the
“church of the nativity” (Bethlehem).

I just couldn’t accept the old church as a sight of the birth of “The Baby.” So I bribed, snuck and bluffed my way into the rooms under the old church and pretty much any place else where I shouldn’t have been- - - My heart and my brain kept saying, “No way!”

Staggering down the ladders and steep steps in the gathering darkness. I’ll never forget the view towards the shepherds fields. Jerusalem maybe five miles away and poorly lit in those days. Then I was riveted to the awesome shadow of Herod’s palace fortress against the skyline maybe fifteen miles towards the Judean wilderness.

Below Bethlehem the shepherds fields stretched peacefully into the shadows.

Standing there I vowed that someday I would explore those fields foolishly hoping I would find the remains of an old barn- - - sure, 2,000 years later!

Maybe eight years later- - - I was living out my vow and finding myself staring in disbelief at an ancient cave at the edge of the fields. It obviously had been for centuries a perfect shelter for shepherds to escape the storms with newborn lambs.

Or, a perfect place for poor travelers.
Especially a private place for a soon to be mother.
Yes!- - - I fell on my knees there.
And remember it every Christmas since.

December 21st, 22nd & 23rd- - - with the help of many friends- - - we’ll recapture the greatest event in history- - - and it took place in an old cave below Bethlehem. It was the Glory of Christmas!!!

Dale/Caleb

"Come Share Our Joy!!!"

The Randy & Rod Halvorson

ReCreation Center

A Cathedral is a family of churches.
Many little country churches with one great dream!

Not a mega church a "meta" church!

Unleashing 7 Astonishing Capabilities!
(Upon Occupancy - Watch for Grand Opening Celebration)

1. It actually has…“The Randy & Rod Halvorson ReCreation Center” Life Extending- - Life Expanding- - Competitive- - or just for pure fun. Basketball, Football, Volleyball, Indoor Soccer, Roller-skating, Etc...

2. It actually has. . . A Very Large Therapy Pool- - - It’s called- - - “Healing Waters”

It has zero degree entry - It’s free for anyone in a wheelchair - It’s perfect exercise for senior adults - And it’s great for post-surgery therapy - The kids will love it

3. It actually has…“The Healing Center for Fully Aliveness”

Psychiatric Counseling- - - Dr. Ray Vath, Dean

4. It actually has… A No Hungry Child - “Project Transformation”

Specializing in children of third world dumps & targeting malnutrition. Already daily operation of a school & feeding station in the Tegucigalpa city dump!

5. It actually has… The “Mountainside Inspiration Center”

We specialize in encouragement & biblical fully-aliveness! Where it’s difficult not to have your good & great dreams re-energized. (Not being religious - but rather loving God & loving life

6. It actually has… A “Community Health Center”

New Life Recovery - Build the Family Ministries - Christian Martial Arts - Christian Yoga - Athletic Programs - Nutrition Counseling

7. It actually has… A “Launching Pad To Send Out World Changing Leaders”

Excel Business Ministries - Washington Seminary - “Dream Builders, Inc.” - - Academy of Joy- - - A tutoring/coaching phenomena

"The Gift of Gratitude"

Be at rest once more, o my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. Psalm 116:7

How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? Psalm 116:12

I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord - in your midst, o Jerusalem. Praise the Lord. Psalm 116:17-19

Sometimes thankfulness is a reflex action. We feel it bloom inside us and express itself in a smile, a hug, a song…

Often, however, thankfulness begins with a choice. In my experience, there is usually a moment on which it hinges – a moment when it is up to me whether I will open or close my soul to gratitude.

One of the hidden gifts of thankfulness is humility. The joy of gratitude is not just related to whatever we’ve received, but that we’ve received something we probably couldn’t have given ourselves. Even the positive outcomes of our own hard work depend, at least to some extent, on factors beyond our control. No one works harder than a farmer, and no one knows better how much the harvest depends on the right balances of sun, rain, and earth.

Even as we express our gratitude for God’s good gifts,
We receive the gift of gratitude itself;
Pressed down and overflowing.

Let us seek the way of pure kindness…
In the name of the Father.

Let us shut the door on anxiety…
In the name of Jesus.

Let us remember beauty…
In the name of the Holy Spirit.

Even as we express our gratitude for God’s good gifts,
We receive the gift of gratitude itself;
Pressed down and overflowing…
Pressed down and overflowing.

Amen

(Pastor Scott Burnett)

"A Thank You!"

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16

We recently received some very nice letters thanking us for the wonderful ministries of Washington Cathedral. I was given permission to share one of them with you.

Dear Pastor Tim,

(And each of the Pastors that have shown so much of Jesus’ love.)

Almost 9 years have passed since I came in to see you saying I had cancer. I will never forget how you encouraged me, anointed me with oil and prayed. After nearly a year of treatment, my cancer has not returned. Thanks also for all of your encouraging sermons!

Pastor Naomi, you were so faithful in visiting Richard in his last days in the hospital. He loved it when you sang to him. Thanks for dropping everything to be with my family after Richard passed away.

Pastor Michael, thanks for helping with Richard’s memorial service and for the big smile and hug on Sunday mornings.

Rhonda, I want to thank you for the beautiful songs you sang at Richard’s service.

Marilyn, you have been so loving and faithful in our Sunday morning TLC. Thanks for all of your prayers, lessons and love.

Many, many others have touched my life at Washington Cathedral. What a wonderful church! My blessings and prayers for each of you.

I love you all,
Isabelle Booe

For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:17

Isn’t it great to be part of such an incredible church!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Tim White

"Adoption!"

I was reminded recently by Stephanie Koster, a member of our church, that November is the month of Adoption in the United States. She shared with me her blessing of adopting her daughter, Jackie. Then I was reminded that in our choir we have our own little Roxxy Blair who received the blessing of being adopted as a baby by her family. What a blessing it is to be adopted! We have many of our church members who have received this blessing, either by being adopted themselves or by adopting a child into their family. And the blessing continues as those adopted children grow to be a blessing to all of the people around them! Our church just wouldn’t be the same without Jackie Koster and Roxxy Blair who insist on pouring out dozens of hours a month to be great encouragers of others!

This blessing of adoption so closely aligns itself with our Washington Cathedral culture.

Look at our Purpose Statement, Our Mission Statement and Core Values and see if you don’t agree:

Washington Cathedral Purpose Statement:
Care for the people you find and find people to care

Washington Cathedral Mission Statement:
“Building the greatest caring network the world has ever seen by empowering people to begin their journey into a growing faith in Jesus Christ and live in a healthy community of Christ Followers!”

Washington Cathedral 10 Core Values:
#1 We believe a Christ centered positive faith is essential!
#2 We prize greatly a joyful servant lifestyle!
#3 We cannot imagine being anything but a church that reaches unchurched people!
#4 We value highly, diversity and the dialogue of healthy life-long friendships!
#5 Our aim is always towards being a grace-filled community!
#6 We cherish God’s word and walking in the Spirit!
#7 We consider living out the good news of the Kingdom of God and relying on miracles as essential!
#8 We value highly ministry to protect our environment and ministry from the beauty of nature!
#9 We believe teamwork and the collaborative approach is absolutely necessary!
#10 We value highly, excellence and investing our lives in a philanthropic joint effort to make our world a better place!

Have you taken the time to adopt a child in our congregation to be an extra “auntie” or “uncle” to encourage them in their dreams? Have you noticed a single mom or dad who would benefit from having an extra “dad” or “mom”, “grandpa” or “grandma” to encourage them as they raise their children? It’s not hard to do. Just be available andallow God’s love to pour through you! You can follow in the footsteps of last weeks Beatitude in the book of Mathew:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matt.5:6 NIV

As Pastor Tim said recently….. these are the people who just do something right… because they KNOW it’s the right thing to do!

Pastor Naomi

"Harvest of Abundance!"

Autumn stirs my soul. It is Creation’s cool-down toward winter’s deep rest and recovery. And it is also the time of harvest and celebration. It is the doorway to the Holidays. Trees become bare, but not without flamboyant outbursts of color.

God’s economy is an un-hoarded surplus.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Jesus of Nazareth (Luke 6:37-38)

Shaken together and running over… What a picture!

Jesus announced the hilarious more-than-enough-ness of following him. And he made it very clear that this abundance is harvested from the fertile field of generosity. We enjoy more than enough of what we need for real life as we plant goodness in our relationships.

Pastor Scott Burnett

"I Have Good News!"

You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 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 men, that they may see your good deedsand praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16

The news is full of non-encouragement lately. Have you noticed? But, the news never has the whole story! The television story has to fit into a sound bite. The radio is even tighter in what it can do. The newspapers only get a snapshot of the story. Stories always change with time. We could put it in a “Anti-Attitude” (the opposite of a Beatitude).

“Unhappy are those who listen to sound bites and think they are getting the truth - for they shall ever be on a downhill roller-coaster ride!!!”

But I have good news for you! When times are tough look to tough, honest people. Nancy Jo King is an example of someone who lives as salt and light. She drives shuttle for the church, leads in the 12-Step, befriends and helps so many people in our community that she deserves a national honor for meritorious service. And she always seems to be there with a strong faith attitude; the kind of attitude which is the bedrock of our church. Yes, she has suffered tragedy in her life, but she follows a God who is so much bigger than any tragedy, setback or crisis. Her faith is unwavering.

Dr. Ray and Joanne Vath are like that as well. I wonder how many thousands of people in our community they have helped? How many people have been helped by those they have trained to help? And how many people their wonderful family has helped because they are in the people-helping profession? They are a light on the hill. Last week, when I was on a run, Dr. Vath called my wife Jackie. He said, “I wanted to give Tim some good news – I know that in times like this – good news is precious.” When Jackie gave me that message I thought, “Blessed are those who not only bear good news in a season when people are gripped by unease, but are the embodiment of good news because they are sweet followers of Jesus Christ.” The good news I have for you is: Our church is full of people like Nancy Jo King and Dr. Ray & Joanne Vath.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Tim White

"The Amazing Power and Joy of the Pliable!!!!"

Blessed are those who are meek because they shall inherit the earth! Matthew 5:5

The Message Bible - Remix is a paraphrase written by notable Bible Scholar, Eugene Pederson. It translates this beatitude like this: You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are – no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that cannot be bought.

People have been asking me, “When are we going to get to move into the ReCreation Center?” I know that we have announced several dates that we thought we would have occupancy. And (now) I know that we were wrong each one of those times. As far as the question “When do we get to move in?” – I cannot say right now. I am waiting and staying pliable. Meanwhile, the church is continuing to grow and each of us is growing in our relationship with God. Be assured, when I hear the words “You have occupancy” then – I will give you a date. In the meantime my dad, Dr. Dale White (the Cathedral Canon) has prepared a plan where through word of mouth, thousands of people can learn about the incredible good news of this new concept - a church community center… A ReCreation Center! And we are planning and preparing to turn on a dime and move in with all our ministries and others from the community as soon as we get the word. I believe that the current unsteady economy makes this Redmond-focused, community-minded center even more essential than ever. When the city gives us the word that we can move in - the blessings will begin to flow. Until then, we have so much to do – so much joy to experience. Remember, “We should never miss the glorious adventure of the now because we are impatient for the future!”

Please pray for the office staff while we are operating remotely with our offices. Pray for good weather and for all the volunteers who are saving us millions of dollars in labor. Pray for the City of Redmond and those placed in authority over us. Pray for the Positive Christian Singles and all their ministries; M.A.J.E.S.T.Y. Arts; the Youth Ministry; for Washington Seminary; the Women's Ministry; the Men's Ministry; New Life Recovery and the many facets of Children's Ministries. The whole church needs an outpouring of God’s grace and strength and so does our community and our world. So lets be pliable… And remember that God is blessing us now- - - let’s make sure we are part of the adventure!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Tim White

The Love of God’s People

It is good and pleasant when God’s people live together in peace!
It is like perfumed oil poured on the priest’s head and running down his beard.
It ran down Aaron’s beard and onto the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Mount Hermon falling on the hills of Jerusalem.
There the Lord gives his blessing of life forever.
Psalm 133

My phone rang at 10:10 Saturday night. It was Pastor Lee Bennett, explaining to me that he and the leaders of Northwest Community Church felt nudged by God to give their October 5th offering to Washington Cathedral. It was a complete surprise and I couldn’t stop smiling.

I immediately phoned Pastor Tim with the news, and asked him if it would be okay for Pastor Lee & Sue and NCC’s leaders to present their gift to us in the middle of our 11:00 service. I didn’t know the entire church would be coming!

Our building project has been a challenge. Pastor Tim predicted it would be harder than any of us could foresee, but the difficulty of the journey at every turn has surprised even him. Pastor Naomi captured it beautifully:

I don't think we realized just how tough this project has been for us. We've been putting one foot in front of the other, continuing in our ministries, working endless hours, praying for volunteers to help, enduring delay afterdelay, blessed by those in the congregation who have given every penny they could, refreshed by new people who have joined our vision....but still very, very tired and worn out.

The NCC visit, prayer and gift just brought so many emotions out into the open. My husband Bruce and I were just overwhelmed with emotion. It was hard to stop crying. Thank you, Jesus, for working through this amazing church to encourage and bless us. I can see now that we needed it. I think we had become so numb to the struggle. Thank you for bringing your life back into us. You refreshed us, Lord Jesus. Thank you.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 5:3

Could there have been a more soul-stirring way to launch our Beatitudes series? We used this paraphrase at our Sunday 5 service: Those with a deficit of hope experience God's favor as they find themselves within His rule and reign.

While preparing our Sunday 5 homily, an image from my childhood kept coming to mind. I loved to dig trenches around our campsite whenever the hard rain came. In fact, I thought it was one of the best parts of our family camping vacations! The trench was ready to receive water …it was the emptiness that could be filled …the nothing awaiting the something. That seems to be part of what Jesus meant by "poor in spirit".

My wife, Hilary, pointed out that this was exactly what had happened Sunday morning. The people of Northwest Community Church poured in among us and filled Washington Cathedral like rain from heaven. And now the stories of our two churches are intermingled forever.

This is what Pastor Lee said:

We’re from Northwest Community Church. We’ve had our backs against the wall for the last five years, so we know what it means to attempt to fulfill the vision and calling that God has on your life and to find yourself in a place of difficulty and crisis, as it were. God put your church on our hearts. So we want to give you our morning offering as a token of God’s love for you and an affirmation that he sees you. He sees your vision; he knows your hearts. You have no idea how much he loves you. And he does not want you to go forward in fear, but wants you to go forward inconfidence, believing in him – that he’s going to provide …that he’s going to provide. The Lord loves you. You have no idea how much he loves you …how much he is going to provide.

We’re not a really big church – we don’t have a lot of money. So we’re not going make you well with this. But we want to give you this token of God’s grace, and we want to speak over you grace.

II Corinthians 9:8 ‘May God give you all grace.’
…Grace with the City of Redmond …Grace with the Mayor …Grace with the Planning Commission …Grace with the Fire Department …Grace with every agency that walks on this property and determines whether or not you can go forward …Grace in the kind of weather you need to finish your site …Grace in the money you need to get in this building and get on with what God has given you to do. Because it’s not about the building: it’s about you. But you need to get in there! And God be glorified in this. May this be a season of blessing and victory for you of Washington Cathedral, and for you, Tim. May the Lord sustain you at this time. God bless you.

And this was Pastor Tim’s response:

Pastor Lee and Northwest Community Church, I’ve been a student of church history and I don’t remember anything like this since the times of the New Testament. You have blessed us and God has used you as a blessing in this community. So let us return the favor by saying a prayer for you.

Let us all raise our hands as blessing to the people of Northwest Community Church. Lord Jesus, we’re overwhelmed by your grace. We can’t put into words the feeling of being part of a larger kingdom than any of us can imagine. We ask your blessings on Pastor Lee and this great church that has ministered in this community for so many years – on every member and every leader – that you would make your grace overflow in their lives too. That the wall they stand against would fall down just like the walls of Jericho as we believe and know that the gates of hell cannot prevail against you, Jesus. And God, we thank you for this moment of unity with them. We’ll spend the rest of our lives overwhelmed by this historic moment. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Pastor Scott Burnett

Join Us As We Learn The Conversation of Hope

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:4-6

Hi Linda!

I thought I should relay this to you –

When I got home from discipleship, we had a flurry of young adults (plus Bill!) in the house.Jackson, Whitney (the 19-year-old co-guardian of her brother), and Bill were grilling meat and cooking pasta, and there were homemade cream puffs on the bar. Jonathon and Brett (18-year-old buddies of Jackson’s) were upstairs. I started visiting with Whitney and explained to her that I had just been to discipleship class, and that whenever I feel stressed out and overwhelmed on a “discipleship day”, I find that rather than adding to my stress, discipleship always seems to relieve my stress and realign my priorities. I sat with all of them in the kitchen while they had their dinner, then we went out to Bill’s shop to see the new caboose he just got for his electric train. It was a very nice evening and I just wrote to thank you for taking the time to teach discipleship. It put me in the mood to appreciate my family and friends when I got home. It’s the one thing in my life that I am not “responsible” for, and I find it very rewarding.

Of course, I’m on track for a near all-nighter this evening, but at least I have a relaxing start!

Thanks again,
Elaine

“I’ve Been on the Mountain!”

“Then Moses led the people out of a camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.”

“The Lord descended to the top of Mt Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up.”

Boeing didn’t invent mid-air refueling… and God did not design us to fly on empty hearts! Neither did God design us to be puppets or perpetual motion machines. Actually we are more like “seven day clocks” because we need fresh energy at least every seven days in order to love, and laugh, and be fully alive!

Worship

Worship is a lot of things like praise, fellowship, etc. But it is probably worse than nothing if you don’t meet with God in a special mountain top experience.

Sure God is everywhere but it was His plan to have a special place to meet with us. Jesus said “My house shall be called a house of prayer”, so we build sanctuaries… places of special prayer where we can listen and experience the very real presence of God.

At least one day out of seven I need to “go up on the mountain” then I am ready to take life head on in whatever valley He has assigned for me.

Make regular worship one of the highest priorities of your life!

Dr. Dale Caleb White

"Trust Him!!!"

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace ecause you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope hrough the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13

Did you ever get a great big dose of hope? A moment when you felt loved by God, supported by your friends and family and you stepped out witht the faith tthat the possibilities in your life were unlimited? That is the beginning of a very human adventure!

These kind of adventures remind me of when I got on a plane for Jerusalem and headed to graduate school, or moved with Jackie and our tiny children to start a church we thought had the possibility of becoming the greatest caring network the world had ever seen, or my younger years in track leaning forward in the the starting blocks as I heard, "Ready, Set, Bang, Go!!!"

I have a very important question for you. What is life - if it is not an adventure? It is a bore – atorture test, a waste of good time and great opportunities. Therefore I pray that God, who is the source of hope will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust Him. That is the foundation for the overflowing confident hope talked about in the next sentences. Trust Him - Trust that God is not through with you yet. Get comfortable in your skin – deal with the realism that you are who you are and in the future the sky is the limit with God at the helm of your life. Honest growth, real change, new opportunities, exciting intervention by God’s love, all working through you. Trust Him - He knows what is going on in the financial world. Trust Him – He can handle your deepest insecurities. Trust Him - He can take a rag-tag group and make them into a group of winners, overflowing with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In many different faiths they pray in public several times a day. I challenge you to look towards the sunrise, the Cascade mountains and say out loud like you mean it. “I trust you God! My life will be a great adventure!!!” Do this three times and if you don’t feel better… call a Pastor...

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

"Hope!"

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

What is your life verse? If you were to tell your family and friends that one verse summed up your life’s highest aim what would it be? Of course you probably know that our churches verse is Isaiah 61. You have heard the story of how we received that verse and the adventure of following that aim. But my personal life verse chosen by me is Proverbs 3:3-4. “Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.” Proverbs 3:3-4.

One day, in 1980, I had the chance to hear famed theologian Carl F. H. Henry who started Christianity Today. He had been a close friend of Billy Graham and in his day, was one of the greatest thinkers in Christian circles. After hearing him speak, I went up and asked for his autograph. During a brief conversation, he asked me about my dreams. I told him about my vision of Washington Cathedral. He proceeded to sign my journal and wrote “Romans 15:13.” He said that this was my life’s verse. I told him I already had a life verse, but he didn’t care and he gave me a new one. This many years later, Romans 15:13 is still a challenge for me to live. The God of hope is so important to me. In fact, Washington Cathedral’s new identifying statement is - - - “Join us as we learn the conversation of hope.” Our world desperately needs hope and it is going to take someone with a deep positive faith in Jesus Christ to share it. Especially in our fearful world today. I desire to be filled with joy and peace because of this hope as I learn to trust him. I have to tell you that I still have a long way to go to learn to trust him at that level. But I am absolutely committed to make such advancement in this area that my family, my friends, my church and my community will be shocked – impressed by what Jesus is doing in my life as I overflow with hope by the power of the Spirit. This is going to be the best autumn of my life. I am so thankful for the gift of life and the opportunity to grow right before your eyes.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

"Just Say YES!"

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

It was two years ago on a hot Labor Day Weekend that we gathered together and watched as Pastor Tim jumped up on a big backhoe and took the first scoop of dirt celebrating the ground breaking for the Randy and Rod Halvorson ReCreation Center. That was my first celebration as part of this Washington Cathedral family and it was a very exciting time for me and everyone in attendance. Think about it, just two years later and we are getting ready to celebrate the completion of that portion of our dream -- a beautiful building full of miraculous possibilities.

On Friday night, September 12 we have an amazing opportunity to show this incredible building to our community at the gala event we have called the “YES Auction”. It will be the first big celebration we are able to have in our new building and it will be a great time for all of us to get together for an evening of fun and fellowship.

Hasn’t it been exciting to watch the progress? First the big hole for the foundation, then the massive steel structure looking like a life-size erector set, next the walls began taking shape, the cross was lifted up to the sky (what a moment that was), the wall, the elevator, the windows, the carpet, the stage, the pool – the list goes on and on. And through it all, we have had hope for the lives that will be changed, renewed, restored, and encouraged in those walls. Hope that teens on the brink of making wrong choices in their lives will have a positive place to hang out.
So, this Friday, September 12th the doors to the new building will be open at 5 pm for the “Yes” Auction. We will have the opportunity to walk into the building for the first time, experience our first major event together, and help change our community at the same time. In Ecclesiastes 3 we are told there is a time to every season-a time for every activity under Heaven. This is a time to celebrate and share the joy with each other as we experience the thrill of being together in our new building. What better way than to celebrate with great food, family and friends and continue to finish the funding making strides toward changing our world forever! You will be able to share in the fun of bidding on trips to Hawaii, a day of golf, vacations in Cannon Beach, helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon and don’t forget the desserts! Your table will have the opportunity to bid on dessert!

Don’t miss out! See you there!!!!

Hooray for Chaos!”

There has never been the slightest doubt that the God who started this great work in you wouldkeep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. (Philippians 1:6 The Message)

Sometimes I have no choice but to drive slowly – or even stop - on my way to church during the week. Traffic control flaggers along Redmond-Woodinville Road are making sure that safety precautions are in place during the construction of the new access road being built on our property. That has given me an opportunity to take a lengthy look at the huge dirt rearrangement that is going on along that hillside.

This took me by surprise. I’d seen road construction before but this looked like the sort of construction necessary to build an underground railway system or cut through a mountain. Surely this was overkill, I thought to myself.

Then I remembered that we were building for many generations to come. It was important that what we create here be constructed with an eye to the future. The infrastructure must be done carefully and with quality materials. It must stand the test of countless numbers of vehicles carrying precious humans onto a property totally dedicated to whatever use the Creator has in mind.

I read Pastor Naomi and Sara Clark’s Radiance article about how “green” our new building is and was reminded again of all the thought and attention to detail that has gone into this project.

The job isn’t finished yet and it is still a bit of an eyesore. But I’ve seen the landscaping plans for the future and they are beautiful!

I believe God has been working on all of us at Washington Cathedral in much the same way. Our initial experience of changing and becoming can look pretty chaotic. There’s always more fixing up to be done, but once the infrastructure is in place, the fruit of the spirit becomes apparent and very appealing. God has a plan for every person who comes on this property – and it’s beautiful!

Hooray for chaos! Good work is in progress!

Pastor Sally Jo Holmes

A Remarkable Legacy

As part of a recent series on heroes, Pastor Tim interviewed Judy Willman about her Dad, a modern-day hero. Judy eloquently described his troubled childhood and how his determination ultimately gained him a seat on the UW crew that won the 1936 Olympic Gold Medal.

I came away from that service knowing that there was so much more to this hero than what Judy or Pastor Tim could convey in the time allowed, so I boldly asked for an up close and personal interview, which Judy graciously set up with me.

Our conversation lasted more than two hours! As we talked, I became increasingly aware that the story of this man and why God placed him in the circumstances at the exact time He did needs to be told in a book. Judy assured me that she had already consulted with a published author and he has agreed to mentor just such a book with her. Judy is a gifted writer herself. The eulogy she wrote on the occasion of her Mom’s passing is a beautifully crafted piece from her heart.

My question as a student of human behavior is always, “What makes this person the unique creation of God he/she so apparently is?” There are as many answers as there are people, I suspect.

As an after thought, Judy flagged me down at church the other day and offered some random thoughts about her Dad. She said she had actually seen him sit for a very long time in a bed of clover, waiting to spy the acclaimed four-leafed variety. He never failed to find it. Apparently, two of his unique qualities were focus and determination. But there was something more: his belief that it was there somewhere and he knew he could find it if he just concentrated. That speaks to me of a very patient and confident man.

Perhaps that is why, in spite of repeated losses and abandonment, he just kept looking, believing that someone was going to show up in his life that would hang around for the long haul. And he found her - his beloved Joyce! They were a committed team from the day they met in high school until her death (which preceded his death by five years.) Her reluctance to die, in spite of excruciating pain, was because of her concern for Joe. It was only when Judy promised to care for Joe after she was gone that Joyce could leave in peace. Joe died in 2007 at the age of 93, a much beloved and well-tended father.

The other tidbit Judy wanted me to know about her Dad had to do with his allegiance to the UW crew after his freshman year and his position on the crew was pretty likely. She asked him one day why he felt the need to continue this very demanding and grueling sport when he was working a variety of on-campus jobs and carrying a full load of classes which would eventually earn him a degree in Chemical Engineering. It boiled down to “community.” This man, after all the years of enforced loneliness, having to problem-solve and somehow scrape together a survival all by himself as a very young child, had found a camaraderie and friendships in the other oarsmen that he had never experienced before in his life.

Joe Rantz has left Judy and her family a remarkable legacy and thanks to Judy, we can all learn something about what makes a hero by being inspired by one who lived his life so well. She said her Dad loved to teach. I think,because of her devotion and honor to Joe, he is still teaching and inspiring us to live our lives well, using all the gifts God has given us. I can hardly wait for the book!

Pastor Sally Jo Holmes

"Viva la Difference"

According to Wikipedia, homogeneity means being the same throughout. Think of homogenized milk: the same color and consistency from the first swig to the last. Homogeneity tends to be an essential characteristic of large social entities such as mega churches.

Heterogeneity, on the other hand, can be described as the quality of being made of many different elements, forms, kinds, or individuals. It is a core characteristic of the “meta church” ideal we’re cultivating at Washington Cathedral.

We value otherness; we invite diversity into the heart of who we are as a church. We know how difficult it is to put such words into action. In fact, it is impossible. But we’ve come to believe that it is part and parcel of following Jesus. It’s not an elective. So we’re counting on the Holy Spirit to help us figure it out.

Pastor Scott Burnett

"From Honduras!"

Tuesday evening we participated in a meeting to brainstorm the development of a new community for those who actually live in the garbage dump. Part of the mission of “Project Transformation” is to address the whole person with the whole Gospel. This involves helping people to create and own a healthier living environment. We are among a group of dreamers planning how to support the community's creation of new housing structures for these poorest of the poor.

Here is the Dream: Help the community to build 300 homes for people who currently live in the garbage dump. This effort would be similar to the creation of the Linda Miller Community - people getting involved in building their own houses and taking ownership of the work.

Visits to their current homes are driving this effort. Jose Ramon and his sister, Ritzy (a student at AFE) invited our team to visit his two children. They were beautiful children even though they were covered in dirt and soot. Their smiles reminded me of my own son, yet saddened me as I saw where they lived. On dirt floors, surrounded by garbage and terrorized by vultures, six people eked out an existence in a six foot by eight foot make shift shack. They had no water, no electricity, and were under constant threat. The health risks apparent from no way to flush waste, no way to clean dishes, and a dirt floor are too numerous to mention.

With tears, Jose Ramon confessed his children suffer from constant sickness from the conditions in which they live. The father felt obvious shame that he could not take better care of his family. Jose is a hard worker. He is not lazy. He is the victim of circumstances. Caught in a vicious cycle, only God can work a miracle in this family's life.

But God works through people like you and me to work those miracles. That is why we dream.

Imagine moving Jose, his wife and their two children, and his mother and sister who live with them, to a house with clean floors, running water and flushing toilets, light in the evening and a stove to cook healthy meals. His children would not fall ill but grow healthy and strong. No longer would Jose feel ashamed of who he is, but take pride in his family and his God who reaches down to help the least of these.

Pray that our dream will soon become reality.

Pastors Rey & Elise Diaz

"Why Just Go To Church? When Church Can Be A Party!!!"

Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 18:4

The Message Bible puts it this way:

Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. Matthew 18:4

August 2008 will probably become the most exciting month of the year at Washington Cathedral! Pastors Tim and Jackie have decided that “August Is For Children!” So we’re gearing up for some serious fun!

Pastor Tim asked me to hold auditions for all the talented children in our church and to schedule those talented children in our worship services for August. So this August will be a wonderful treat for everyone who comes to worship! HONESTLY – the auditions were amazing and each child was precious in their presentations. PLEASE DON’T MISS EVEN ONE WEEK IN AUGUST! (Because of the amount of children that auditioned, we will be scheduling them throughout the Saturday 6pm & Sunday 9 & 11am worship services in August. EVERY SERVICE WILL BE DIFFERENT! Plus, you will still get to hear the Shining Stars, the Junior Choir & Keaton Markey!

Our Special Guest Children include:
Brianna & Tyler Prosch ~ singing ~ “When Christmas Comes To Town”
Ashleigh & Travis Roth ~ singing ~ “O Magnify The Lord”
Ashleigh Roth ~ singing ~ “O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus”
Carly DeLucia ~ singing ~ “Call On Jesus”
Claire Bechtel ~ flute ~ “Theme From Finlandia”
Christina Bechtel ~ piano ~ “Morning Has Broken”
Julian Stefanzick ~ piano ~ “Fur Elise”
Gabrielle Stefanzick ~ dance ~ “Dance Of The Day Lilly”
Alex & Jarrett Chang-Lam ~ karate ~ Kata’s
Lauren Stavig/Nichole Zimmerer/Sarah Stavig as the “Eternal Life Praise Team” ~ singing ~ “Me Gozare”

AND EVERY SUNDAY IN AUGUST WE’LL HAVE A BOUNCE-HOUSE ON CAMPUS FOR THE CHILDREN!!

AND….. SUPER FUN ART PROJECTS IN SUNDAY SCHOOL!! WHOOOOHOOOO!

COME HAVE FUN WITH US AT WASHINGTON CATHEDRAL IN AUGUST!!

Pastor Naomi

"The Fingerprints of God!"

In WOW this summer, we are in a study on the “Fingerprints of God on our lives” by Jennifer Rothschild, a blind, young, very vibrant woman. Jennifer is a gifted author, speaker and recording artist. Jennifer says, “The God who raised mountains and set the mighty waves in motion wants us to feel his tender personal touch. God guides us on pathways we cannot navigate alone. His touch separates us from all other created beings, and warms, affirms and guides us, and communicates value and self esteem.”

The study has reminded me that I am valuable to God. His touch makes me valuable, and I am marked with my Creator’s loving and tender fingerprints. He made me in his image to reflect and enjoy His glory. The Lord looks down from Heaven and sees the whole human race. He made our hearts, and His eye is upon us and He watches us, and He touches us in ways that we might miss. We often don’t recognize His touch.

In Matthew 6:26 - Jesus said, “Look at the birds, they don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for yourheavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are?” And in Luke 12:6Jesus said, “What is the price of 5 sparrows – 2 cents? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So, don’t be afraid: You are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

I can look back over many years and realize how God’s fingerprints have been on my life from the day I was born -- from the parents He gave me, the family He placed me in, the country I was blessed to be born in, from early church experiences, and... my rebellious years (which He brought me through). Of course, there is the day His redeeming grace won my heart over and Jesus came to live within me, and the many situations since then where His loving touch has been very evident. He has guided and shaped my life and brought tremendous joy to my heart and life. There have been tough times too, but His fingerprints are very evident in every situation.

It is good to be reminded that “value” is determined by “price paid”, and Jesus paid the ultimate price for you and me. So I’d say He thinks we are very valuable! Even when we don’t feel valuable, we still are valuable. Even when we don’t feel noticed, God’s eyes never leave us. Even when we don’t feel His touch, our lives reflect His hand. Even when darkness surrounds us, we can be sure that God sees us. Sharing our experiences with the WOW ladies has drawn us closer together as a family and drawn us closer to God. I am glad that God watches over me and over you!

Pastor Marilyn

"Strangely Brilliant!"

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,Look full in His wonderful face,And the things of earth will grow strangely brilliant,In the light of His glory and grace.

I apologize to the hymnist for turning her poetry inside out. What Helen Lemmel penned was,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim…

Her intent was to accentuate the unequaled beauty of Christ by casting all else in dull, muted tones. Fair enough.

But closeness to Jesus has mostly heightened my awareness of life's beauty.

…Setting sunlight turning trees and trail to gold
…The glide of a canoe across a mountain lake at dawn
…An ancient marriage proposal sung in Gaelic
…Rhodies blooming
…The crack of a bat on a 98 mph fastball
…A full night of sleep
…The summertime incense of charcoal
…Saltwater and coconut oil
…Friendships rekindled

In my experience, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a baptism of all things into their intended glory.

Pastor Scott Burnett

"A Summer That's Too Good To Miss!!!"

I remember the sweet days of summer. When I was growing up, I would count down the days until it began. Summer jobs, summer reading (just for fun), summer workouts (getting the edge on next years improvements), summer vacations, summer camps, the change of pace in summer worship that would refresh my faith, sitting on the front porch in the evening ~ just enjoying the cool of the planet and the appearance of the stars.

I was playing golf with Bob Cryder last August and as we approached the 18th green we crossed some freshly cut grass. He turned to me and said, “Do you smell that?” I smiled, “I sure do.” He smiled and said, “What do you smell?” I said, “Football!” He said, “That’s right.”

Summer is a great time of year. Everyone is precious. I hope you get a vacation. I pray that you savor swim lessons with your kids and long walks to enjoy nature. But I also hope you worship God this summer and grow in preparation for the greatest year of your life. At Washington Cathedral we are calling this the “Summer That is Too Good to Miss!” In other words, if you have to miss church (and we all do sometimes) then we want you to know that you are really missing something very special. July is the month of Vacation Bible School, Youth Camps & Singles Retreat. But there are 12 worship services that you can go to ~ one for every day of the week (except Tuesday or Friday). Childcare is provided at every worship service, the Bible is taught, powerful prayers are given, communion service is celebrated, world changing offerings are given as a community, and a family-style picnic is enjoyed. The only service that's a little different is the Sunday evening Spanish service ~ and even there someone will probably sit by you and translate for you.

Our church is being transformed as our study of the Book of Acts draws to a conclusion. But heading into summer, each month has a theme. July is for hero’s! Discover and develop the heroic aspects of your personality and faith. Those are the same aspects of a personality that give peace in anxious times and entire families hold on to it during tough times. August is for children. Rediscover the carefree, joy filled, awe inspired child inside of you. Every weekend we will have a children’s inflatable toy and a children’s talent contest right in the service. Then, September is for leaders! Discover the mountain moving world changing leader inside of you. How do you break through to succeed in the areas that you were created for?

Every service is going to be a lot of fun and I promise that you will leave refreshed. So make sure to attend as many as you can. It truly will be the “Summer That is Too Good to Miss!”

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Tim White

"We Need One Another!"

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so that we can help each other.

1 Corinthians 12:7

“We were both made for each other,” the young couple beamed as they sat in my office. I smiled, appreciating their love and also knowing the adventure that lay ahead of them. But they’re right. People are made for each other. We need one another. Many things in our own personalities force us into emotional, intellectual, and spiritual isolation. But no matter how difficult it is - with our uniqueness and porcupine-tendencies - we still all need one another.

Yesterday, I woke up before the rest of the family and got ready for work. I glanced over in the corner of our living room and still setting there were miniature cowboy boots, a cowboy hat, and chaps. They were remnants of Elijah’s stay with us. I walked over to pick them up and put them in his toy box, knowing that they will not fit him when he comes back again, I could not bring myself to put them away. I nicknamed him “El Tegrito” or “My Cute Little Tiger” because he seems to like things he’s afraid of such as the ocean, or a swimming pool, or our horse-dog Strider. He even rode on Strider’s back - and they were both smiling. I thought to myself, “I miss this little grandson so much!” God created us to need other people.

You will never know how good you can be until you get involved with other positive people. Join a “Tiny Little Church”, use your gifts, reach out and make some friendships with people that you wouldn’t normally befriend - you might be surprised. Make it to worship as regularly as you can and take time to pray for the people around you. Be religious about spending time with your family - enjoying them and encouraging them as if God were working through you. Because as odd as people can be; we really do need each other.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Tim White

"A Green ReCreation Center!"

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers-the moon and the stars you set in place.

What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?

Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.

You gave them charge of everything you made,

Putting all things under their authority-

The flocks and the herdsAnd all the wild animals,

The birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,

And everything that swims the ocean currents.

PSALM 8:3-8

Being in charge of something also means that you must “care” for what you have been given charge over. These verses started me thinking…. how are we doing with our “care” for what He has given us here at Washington Cathedral? I mean… we have this wonderful, new ReCreation Center that God has given us charge over to build for Him. Have we taken great “care” inbuilding it?

Well, I didn’t have to go very far to get some answers to my questions since my husband, Bruce, stepped up to answer God’s call for someone to manage the project. He was a great source of information, so I thought I’d share it with you today. But then… I had one more thought… “maybe you’re not the only one with this thought, Naomi.” So I searched out a dear sister in Christ, Sara Clark, who I know loves God’s creation. Sara and I have a few things in common. We both love to worship Jesus through music! We are both allergic to wheat, milk & soy (bummer). And we’re both dedicated recyclers (Go Green!). So here’s what we both came up with:

Some Green Aspects of Washington Cathedral's ReCreation Building

1. We've chosen to build our building into the hillside for major energy efficiency both in the winter and the summer. And we’ve really insulated our new building.
   
2. We've used recycled materials in our linoleum, auditorium flooring & wall paneling.
   
3. We've invested greatly in storm water retention and water quality facilities to minimize the impact of water runoff on the environment. The design of these storm water ponds combines engineering requirements with aesthetics to create natural looking landscape features for the Community. Our runoff is released at a rate that corresponds to an old growth forest; is re-circulated in water features; or is used in irrigation.
   
4. Rainwater and well water will be used for irrigation, which reduces our use of precious Community drinking water resources.
   
5. We've incorporated low maintenance landscaping that reduces the amount of energy needed formaintenance and lowering our fertilizer requirements.
   
6. We've used energy efficient lighting throughout the building, making use of motion sensing and light sensing systems to maximize energy efficiency.
   
7. We've incorporated energy recovery systems in our heating system to reduce energy use.
   
8. We've aesthetically designed a trash storage building that drains to the sewage system to preventcontamination of run off from waste materials.
   
9. We're using recycled concrete blocks, which eliminates concrete waste and destruction of the environment.
   
10. Our windows are Low E glazed energy efficient windows.
    
11. We designed our site to be sensitive to the steep slope and stream to the east of our property.
    
12. We lovingly participated in neighborly green activity by designing the parking lot along our southern border to include landscape buffers of trees and vegetation for our neighbors.
    
13. Our parking lot light design was chosen to minimize light pollution for the Community.
    
14. Local materials were used in our project. The concrete, wood, retaining wall blocks, gravel and paving…which make up the bulk of the projects weight, were all manufactured locally.
    

Pastor Naomi & Sara Clark

"Celebrating 24 Years!"

“There are no casual relationships on the battlefield of a great dream!” Pastor Tim White

On the second Sunday this October, Rich and I will celebrate 24 years of being a part of this community of friends we call Washington Cathedral. I will never forget the first day we walked into the cafeteria at Lake Washington High School. There were about 30 people there (later we found out that about 20 of them were from the Tri Cities there to support Tim). Naomi Marquez (now Pastor Naomi Marquez Blake) was a guest soloist that morning and we were so impressed by her beautiful voice. We were greeted with enthusiasm and warmth by Jane Bishop and she introduced us to her son-in-law, Dennis Brown, and his family. Pastor Tim stood up in front and said “This is the Day the Lord hath made and we will rejoice and be glad in it.” We walked out of the cafeteria that morning and said “This is it, this is where we need to be.”

That week we received a letter from Pastors Tim and Jackie signed “Your Friends for the Rest of Our Lives.” Little did we know the truth of that statement. The friends started to pour in – David Gerzsenye and his family. Roy and Pam Seymour with kids Chris and Kelly. Arden and Linda Apted invited John and Greg Hanna, their skiing buddies. John and Greg Hanna were so excited they invited their physician, Dr. Bob Hoskins. Pastor Naomi was traveling over once a month to sing and her brother Marci started teaching Sunday School every week. Her Aunt Darlene and Uncle Harold started coming and then Uncle Kenny and Aunt Margie. The church family continued to grow – Steve and Diane Sibley, Dennis Miyoshi, Rob McJunkin, Nancy Willsie (now McJunkin), Michael Fernandez, Teresa Christensen (now Fernandez), Bill & Sally Jo Holmes, Doug and Jeanne Sutten, and it goes on and on and it will continue to grow.

As I write these names, I have tears in my eyes. Some are still with us and some have gone on to heaven. What is even more important is how the list continues to grow. I work every day alongside people who joined the family 10 years ago, 1 year ago, 1 month ago, and I thank God that I am part of a diverse and growing family.

I believe the greatest gift that God gives us when we put our trust in him, is the relationships of wonderful people who are dedicated to the dream of building a “great caring network” engaging in a “conversation of hope”. Come join us we have lots of room!

Pastor Linda Skinner

"A Changed Life!"

There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up. When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." Exodus 3:2-4

It all started when the boy was ten years old. And yes, it started at church camp exactly 43 years ago. It was up the Cascade Mountains. And that boy, who never really understood what it meant to have personal relationship with God or to be a follower of Jesus Christ, sat on a log during a fireside talk. There were some very sharp teenagers there, ones you could look up to, ones whose values would standout later in life. Young people with a fire in their eyes and a passion to live for. They were good students with amazing potential. You just knew you were around exceptional human beings - playing softball with them or hiking in the mountains. They boldly shared about their fears. They shared about their dreams and you could not help but pull for them. There were cabin raids, squirt-gun fights, camp skits, and laughter late at night that made the kids all fall on the ground. And then there was campfire time. The speaker said he wanted to give anyone a chance to pray and ask to be a follower of Jesus Christ. No one dared to walk up in front of the whole group to become a Christian. I could not resist. So at the very last moment I took the walk that changed my life. I’ve thought of that moment many times in the last 43 years. I never tried drugs, even in the 60’s, never really had a wild spell. I think the difference was the walk I took that summer. God had a lot of work to do in me and he still does. But I’ve often wondered where I would be without that campfire time in 1965. I was thinking about that this last year as I visited long-time friends in the hospital. They have quietly provided scholarships every summer since the church began for kids who could not afford to go to camp. I wonder how many of those kids had their lives changed while at camp on those scholarships. For 24 years they have each provided more than one scholarship. That’s quite a few miracles!

This year I have asked the kids to raise money for the completion of the ReCreation center. It will be one of the finest Youth and Sunday School Centers in the country. Many of the classrooms will be used by young people five days a week between 3 and 5 pm. The room looking over the pool with a view of woods is unparalleled for a youth or Sunday school room. I promised the Sunday School Teachers and Youth Leaders that there will be some business people in the church who will step up and provide scholarships for the kids that need it to go to camp. I wonder who God will choose to carry on this legacy since two of our former leaders in this area are not be able to do it anymore. I know it will be someone who will do it quietly, with a very glad heart, knowing that God is using their success to change lives.

June 27th - 29th High School (Camp Berachah) “Rejected”

June 27th - 29th Junior High (Archeology Camp) “Indiana Jones”

July 18th - 20th Grades 4-6 (Iron Sharpens Iron) “Iron Man Camp”

July 14th - 17th 3yrs-3rd Grd (Vacation Bible School) “Commotion in the Ocean”

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Tim White

"A Prepared Mind!"

Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. Acts 10:44

"In the field of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind.” Pasteur’s dictum

To Louis Pasteur, who not only discovered germs but also the process of vaccination and pasteurization, we owe many innovative insights. It was his dictum that framed many subsequent scientific discoveries and technological innovations. And it is important for us to see the importance of a “prepared” mind and listen forbreakthroughs from God.

Almost every time Jackie and I are heading to a “Tiny Little Church” service, we wonder, “How we can keep up with the busyness of our lives?” And then, on our way home, we say, “What were we thinking?” Because that time spent, knowing that God was there is so valuable to our marriage, our faith, our children, our career, and our dreams. What were we thinking? - That we did not have time for worship or fellowship. Worship prepares the heart, fellowship prepares the mind. And God leads us into the breakthrough.

This summer there are going to be a million wonderful things that will distract you from your family. Many of them will be very good, but I challenge you to consistently take time to prepare your heart and mind for the incredible breakthroughs that God has for you.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

"A Light on the Hilltop!"

Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:15b-16 (The Message)

It is not even finished and our building is already a “light” to our community. A lady by the name of Carroll Whipple, who has been a swim and water aerobics instructor in this area for years, saw our building and Pastor David recently took her on a tour. She was so impressed with what we are doing she sent the enclosed note and a wonderful gift to our fund for our new pool. Carroll graciously gave us permission to share her note with all of our church family.

Dear Pastor David,
We so appreciated the tour of your new building project and taking time from your busy schedule! It is really impressive and we know it will be well used and a blessing to many. We’ve enclosed a check that might be added to your pool fund. We are looking forward to meeting you again and watching the progress of the building.
Very Sincerely,

Carroll Whipple

I had the joy of personally speaking to Carroll on the phone. She is so passionate about the benefits of swimming and exercising in water that it just exudes from her. Many years ago as a young mom, carrying her children on her hip, she says her back began to hurt and she decided to begin swimming to rehabilitate. That was 40 years ago. Today at 89 years young and a great grandma, she is still working with children and adults on exercising and swimming to gain mobility. She is a Certified Water Safety Instructor and Instructor Trainer through the Red Cross. Carroll is so excited about our pool because as she said the pools that she has been using are all closing down. She told me that she would love to help anyway she can. She’d volunteer her time, she’d train instructors, in what ever way we could use her she’d love to help. She said that she loves to tell people about the benefits of working in the water. I’m sure when we have our grand opening this fall, Carroll will be there to help us initiate the pool.

We can only begin to imagine what will happen when the building opens, the lights are turned on and the pool is filled with water. Thank you, Lord, for people like Carroll who see the “light on the hilltop” and are prompted to help out in any way they can to make the dream of the ReCreation Center a reality.

Pastor Linda Skinner

"I Love the Dawn!"

How far does a star shine?

Try 93 million miles for our closest star - - - the sun. Actually we would be in perpetual night without it! And I do love the dawn- - - with energy streaming 93 million miles to push back the darkness.

Oh I love the dawn!

He was an agnostic college kid - not sure he believed in God and definitely mad at Him if there was one! The religion he had been exposed to totally turned him off; that is, until one day his mother found an old torn photograph of a two year old boy. Sharing it with him he asked, “Why is it torn?” And she began to tell him a story. It was a story that would change his life and impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of people!

“I accidentally tore the picture that was taped to the iron lung when I took it off just after your father died. You were just two years old and your father was stricken with the polio that paralyzed him. The iron lung was an antique, monstrous, medical machine that kept him alive for an extra year. He asked me to tape it there so he could pray for you.”

That agnostic and angry college student suddenly felt his heart open like he had no control of it. He soon invited God into his life, deciding to follow Jesus. Oh yes - - - his name is Philip Yancey, who just happens to be one of the most prolific and powerful authors of this century. Without question he has influenced millions to consider Christ and dare to follow Him.

I had the privilege of meeting Philip Yancey one time and found him to be humble, gentle and extremely intelligent. Most of all I remember him to be a person whose life is full of joy.

Dads, don’t give up praying for your children. The God who created the stars will use your prayers to make their lives shine.

Caleb

"WOW!"

The New Building Is.....

“Like a Fist of Faith in the Face of Fear”

Wow!

Eleven churches- - - Many, many “Tiny Little Churches” (Small Groups)
Each of the eleven “country churches” has a dedicated, trained and committed pastor- - - singles, Spanish, etc.

We’re not a mega church (God bless them) we are a Meta Church! Meta means out of the box with many little country churches, each worshiping differently- - old hymns- - - loud music- - robes- - no robes- - who knows what? Yet all are part of a great family that is and will feed hungry children- - bless our community and give great honor to our Lord.

Wow, Wow!

It’s impossible because we are so close to the “miracle” to grasp what an absolutely amazing thing God has already accomplished in building this Meta Church. Already, God working “in us and through us” (Philippians 2:13) has provided sacrificial gifts great and small. And I tell you, having visited churches all over the world, this building is the most functional construction I have ever seen!

Wow, Wow, Wow!

We are very, very close to unleashing a powerful weapon that’s desperately and wonderfully needed in this hurting world. Now here’s the good news - In the final phase craftsmanship and sweat will allow you to put your verypersonal imprint on this great project.

Contact Pastor David Gerzsenye if there is a real possibility you can invest in this eternal adventure - painters, window cleaners, experienced carpenters, upholsters, etc. A good example is Merle & Robin Whitaker, with an awesome gift of prep and millwork on the panels, will be remembered “forever and then some.”

Call Pastor David 206-498-5762 to examine your own possibilities!

Pastor Dale Caleb

"EW!"

Following Jesus is foolishness. It goes against every grain in my body. It goes against most of society. It's laughable and difficult. It is the last thing I wanted to do with my life. Yet Jesus draws me. My heart has been captivated. Now it beats for Him. Now it beats for His mission. His kingdom has turned my world upside down. Now I can’t imagine a life without Him. Maybe I am a fool. Maybe I am wasting my life. Maybe I am victim of a large hoax. What seems like foolishness to most, I call love.

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

– Jim Elliot

Sometimes being a hero backfires! Today Elise freaked out when she saw what she thought was a tarantula on our back patio. She claimed it was dead - but... could I trust her? Courageously, I walked out back to see for myself. What I saw cannot be described in words! What happened next happened very fast. I said, “What the heck is this?” Suddenly, Elise screamed and ran away. The scream set off the baby who started crying too. Then she closed the back door, thereby locking me outside (with the enormous spider)!! In all the commotion I put the creature in a dustpan - but it tipped over throwing the creature closer to me. I tried to get away but Elise had locked me out! I was banging on the door begging Elise to let me in, but she wouldn’t because she thought it was still alive; now that I was scared. I felt like I was in one of those Alien movies where one poor guy is locked inside of the hatch where there is still a live alien. He pounds and pounds on the door but his ‘friends’ keep the door closed while the alien eats him alive.

I love being married.

Pastor Rey Diaz

Project Transformation

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

"This Dream Runs Deep!"

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 6:7

In September of 1984 we began Washington Cathedral with the dream of building the “Greatest Caring Network the World Has Ever Seen.” For us, that describes the church in Acts. We do not feel that Washington Cathedral is “the” church as if we are the only church, instead we are “a” church. Meaning - we see ourselves as a piece of the puzzle, which is a wonderful mosaic of Christian churches and movements worldwide that are working to become great caring networks. That’s what the body of Christ should be. Our friends have a degree of patience with us because they know that in our family tradition, this dream runs three generations deep. We do everything we can to be all that we can be in loving people - not to give any individual the credit but to give Jesus the credit. We believe in our cause! That is why Jackie and I (along with the rest of the staff pastors) work so hard. It is why my mom and dad dove into this project with all their might.

This dream runs deep in our family! That’s why my nephew, Kyle, who plays college football and is going to medical school, spends his summers working at the Buntain Hospital in Calcutta, India. It’s why my nephew, Joey, (who played on our church basketball team when he was going to college) called the other day from the White House where he’s working as an intern for J.C. Watts before starting law school next fall. It is why our daughter, Becca, who is an honor student at Seattle Pacific University and works as a waitress, a barista also volunteers her time as an intern-pastor. Our entire family is just radical about spreading the good news of Jesus Christ by loving and caring for people! Sometimes we feel like a lot of people just don't understand us. But, Erskine and Melinda Austin seem to. Their son Eric is on his third tour of Iraq. Their family has been committed to defending the freedom of our Nation for three generations and you have to believe that at least one of their grandchildren (that they love to brag about) will end up spending some time in the Marines.

Some of you may have read the blogs of Pastors Rey and Elise, two of our staff members who serve Jesus by living and working with the people in the Tegucigalpa city dump. Two weeks ago, Pastor Rey witnessed a robbery and shooting. Several days later a riot took place outside their house and they went without water for three days. Elise recently blogged about what it was like when she was robbed by a man with a machete just outside their home. When she called right, after the incident, we prayed and thanked God that she and Elijah were safe. Some may think the ReCreation Center seems like a radical; maybe even an impossible dream. To them I say, “Please be patient with us. We really do believe with all our hearts in what we are doing.” We believe that the love of Jesus is the only real hope for peace in this world. Despite feeling stress and anxiety, like anyone else, we are filled with the joy of this lifetime adventure. God is doing amazing things and know this-- we believe in what we are doing.

“So please be patient with us - God is not finished with us yet!!!”

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Tim White

"The Greatest Adventure of a Lifetime!!!"

Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the father. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1

People have been asking me about the building project. Recently we set out to raise the additional $3 million we were not able to raise when we first started the project. The history is—our first goal was $10 million and we raised $7 million in cash and pledges. At that time, we attempted to scale back the project to $7 million. But when the final push came, with all the road and site work, along with everything else required by approving agencies, we would not be able to complete the permitted work for less than $10 million. Our consultants at John Maxwell’s, Injoy Financial Services, warned us that a protracted project like this would be tough and we could anticipate expenses rising.

At every point I have said “If you cannot give that is not a problem because I would much rather have your lifelong friendship than a building!” If you know anything about me and my heart, as well as all that I have been through, then you know that I say this with absolute sincerity before God. The fact is—we have a challenge that we must meet. God has laid before us a project to complete. It is amazing how far we have come over the past few years. Thinking back to that day when our Tiny Little Church Pastors unanimously voted to go ahead and raise $10 million to build the ReCreation center and what prompted them to make that bold decision, reminds me that we need to move ahead. We have promises to keep to future generations, our community and to ourselves on behalf of a loving and caring God. (Not to mention a $10 million loan to repay.)

Well, now you can understand why I was on my knees thanking God that we received $1.4 million in pledges and gifts during our campaign prior to Easter. That is a huge sum from a church family that joyfully gives as much as we can to make this world a better place—and to build the greatest caring network that the world has ever seen.

Our highly qualified finance team is working on plans to somehow complete the project by September even with the funding shortfall. In the meantime, we know God is working because yesterday, a family came by with a check for $400,000. Understanding this represented a sacrificial gift of a lifetime, supplied by a miracle in their lives, I was moved to spontaneously hug them. We all rejoiced that God had provided another miracle knowing He would continue to provide.

Meanwhile, God continues to work in this church. New people are coming every week. Last week we had a baptism at the Esperanza Service. A young father saw his wife and teenage son being baptized in the cold waterfall while the snow was falling. Suddenly, he jumped in—shirt, tie and all! As he stood there shivering, Pastor Ricardo explained what it means to give your life to Christ, and the father nodded his head with tears of joy and a trembling spirit. Afterwards, this dad, who is new to the church, told me that he had not intended to give his life to Christ yet. But he said, “I was overwhelmed by the Spirit of God and I found myself jumping in, shoes, dress slacks, shirt, tie and all!” I have to tell you, this was the first time I have ever seen this at Washington Cathedral.

Since we are a servant church, we’ve sent our two Lead Pastors, Rey & Elise Diaz, to one of the world’s most hurting places, the Tegucigalpa City Dump in Honduras. I received an email from them yesterday. They are going through a drought and have been out of water for three days. Two days before, there was a riot in their neighborhood, protesting poverty and shortage of food and unfortunately, one student was killed. Rey and Elise wanted to assure us that they were safe even though, the US Embassy had warned US citizens to stay in their homes during the riots. They are witnessing unthinkable stories of people starving in the dump. But because of the financial support of Washington Cathedral, the kids at the AFE School have food to eat. They are making plans for us to build green houses and help create some farms near this community. Rey met with the man who owned the property next to the dump and after talking to him, the man promised to donate his land in order to build 100 homes for the people in the dump. The property owner’s teenage daughter accepted Christ when their family joined Rey to see the living conditions in the dump.

My friends, we have a lot to do! Sure, there are some who are highly critical of me and what our church is doing—that’s all part of being on the cutting edge of making change take place. I love the passage in 1 Samuel where all the people of Israel are hiding in caves and the conquering army of the Philistines is mocking God. Prince Jonathan basically told his armor bearer, “If you watch my back the two of us will take on that whole army!” And they did! I am asking for my friends to watch my back.

Yes, I believe that God is calling us to complete this community center that will be instrumental in pulling our community together and reaching many people. We will be using the entire building to the glory of God. Yes, I am asking for God to make even more financial miracles happen in the lives of our church families. And every age group will be touched by the hundreds of ministries that will go on for generations because of this building and the progress it represents.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Tim White

"Greetings from Honduras!"

These are exciting days at Project Transformation in Honduras. People from all over the country have come to Tegucigalpa to protest and riot against the Honduran government. The US Embassy has given us directions to stay in our homes all day and we feel very safe here.

If you could see all the children of AFE relishing the meals supplied by Washington Cathedral or sitting attentively in classrooms that we helped to build, then you would know how vital the health and growth of Washington Cathedral is to those who have little hope. Our church’s development is imperative not only for those in Washington State but also in the emerging world.

If you have ever been on a mission trip with me (Elise) you know that I guard all mission funds like a junkyard dog named Rufus with spikes on his collar. If, on a mission trip, we eat at McDonalds: “Don’t super size! All left-over funds go directly to kids in Honduras!” When the youth collect auction items: “You need to collect much more than the amount to go on the trip, because the excess goes to kids at the AFE school!” Perhaps we can borrow from the Charity Alliance Organization’s funds to support a needy charity in Redmond? You have to go through me first (and the CAO Board which prayerfully votes on all funding applicants).

So why is it that I am the strongest proponent of using the Mission Auction to raise funds for the ReCreation Center? Before this idea blossomed in the minds of Washington Cathedral’s leadership, I was communicating to the Charity Alliance Board that it would be a while before the school we support in Honduras is be ready to receive greater donations. Every organization that receives a donation from the CAO is required to present a financial and progress report to ensure the money was used efficiently and effectively. We have received some great reports from well-developed organizations; however, AFE (Amor, Fe, y Esperanza) is a brand new project that is just getting organized. Last year’s auction raised support for a nursery and a food program for the kids. We donated the money but did not get the sort of reports we had hoped for.

This is where I come in. My primary job in Honduras is to help AFE get organized. To help them develop a financial and reporting structure. AFE is currently receiving funds from churches and individuals all over the US. Donors who don’t require the high standards of reporting and accountability that the CAO does. However, the director of the school, Pastor Jeony Ordonez, reminds me that the sooner we can get these reporting structures in place, the sooner the doors will open wide to more funding.

In the meantime, I can think of no better use for the mission auction than to keep AFE’s greatest donor to date – Washington Cathedral – functioning, serving, and blessing the world.
This is a very special time in the history of Washington Cathedral. I have been there since it began, when I was 5 years old. Completing our commitment to build the ReCreation Center – for this generation and those that will come - is very important! We must complete what we set out to do! It was God’s will when we started and it is still God’s will today. The only difference is that we can see the impact a little more clearly today. The whole team is behind the new purpose of the auction this year. Rey and I look forward to our furlough and returning to Washington Cathedral to help with the auction. We believe in Washington Cathedral now more than ever and we see the impact more clearly than we ever have before.

Your friend in Christ,

Pastor Elise White Diaz