Monday, June 28, 2010

A Cathedral 4th of July Celebration!

This weekend I will have the privilege of sharing the sermon of a lifetime with you. I am on a series of ten greatpassages from one of the most revolutionary books in the Bible - the book of Romans! Martin Luther's commentary on Romans, John Calvin's commentary on Romans, John Wesley's sermons on Romans, Karl Barth, and Martin Loyd Jones- - - they all shook the world! This book has caused reformation and counter-reformation, enlightenment and great awakenings! But most of all it is famous for beginning revival. I have entitled my sermon series “Attacking the World with Arms Wide Open!”

Saturday night service, July 3rd, will have a very special sermon all of its own; and I hope you bring your children to it, because as part of my sermon I want to sit down and tell them the story of the United States of America.

Sunday, July 4th at 9am we are going to honor those who have served in the military by having them stand during a choir song. I am also going to interview the parents of a hero who is serving in the military right now.

Sunday, July 4th at 11am will be one of our four yearly “Festival Services” and will include our special guest, Gary Del Rosario! Gary is a wonderful tenor from the Seattle Opera and he will be singing with the choir and will sing some stirring patriotic hymns. My dad, Dr. Dale White, and Pastor Naomi, have planned a soul-stirring, sacredcelebration. We have invited all of our congregations to rally together and stand hand-in-hand representing all ourdiversity and the Good News of Jesus Christ! So you can expect to worship with our Hispanic, Brazilian, Egyptian, and Korean congregations, and everyone to take part in the service. This will also be my opportunity to deliver the sermon of my life and the sacred dedication of the “honor flags” will set off fireworks in your soul!

Right after the 11am service we are going to have one of our relaxing old-fashioned, family picnics right on ourcampus (I hope that everyone realizes how important the 11am service is and that no one misses it to set up for the 4th of July picnic.) At the picnic we will have a live band and dancing (which is a Washington Cathedral tradition)- - - dads and daughters dancing away, along with everyone else, just having a good old time! We will have basketball, soccer, softball, swimming, a kid’s carnival with a clown and bouncy house, and- - - some of the most delicioushamburgers and hot dogs that you have ever enjoyed! The picnic will be from 12:30 to 4pm and will be a great time to make new and deeper friendships at Washington Cathedral.

This would be a great opportunity to bring a friend. Your invitation could be a life-changing moment for someone.

Remember, the 4th of July is not just another day! Let’s not take the freedoms that we are blessed with in the United States for granted. If we don't teach our children to appreciate them, they won't last many generations.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

"What Am I Learning?"

Worry is unbelief. Can I trust God to handle all the details in my life when I ask Him to? I see that even though the Hebrews believed in the Almighty God, they still felt the need to have the local shrines and gods at their disposal for the everyday care of things. Could we do the same in our world on a different level? We put bank accounts, education,people’s expectations of us ahead of God and these things can become “little gods” to us.

I remember hearing that when we let family or even a spouse become more important to us than God, we have created an idol. God wants to be everything to us. Not anafterthought and not only when everything else has failed, but first and foremost in our lives. He is to be Provider, Savior, Best Friend… all of it! When He is truly in that place in my life then I have the ability to prioritize all others in my life correctly. With God first, I am a better mother because I recognize it doesn’t all depend on me, a better friend asI can allow God’s leading in my life as to how to treat friends better and be supportive and not enabling. If I live from the place of seeking God then all others in my life will be taken care of appropriately. This was all God wanted from His people. He wanted them to seek Him with all heart, body, soul and mind and not depend on the ‘household gods’ for the everyday needs of life.

Thank-you, Father for teaching me this. When I make you first in all things it is bothcrucial and profitable. How easily I slip into the mode of thinking that You expect me to do a lot of this by myself and only rely on You for the “big stuff” when You want to be in charge of it all. My part is to be obedient to Your directions for my life. Patience andwisdom come with seeking You, and knowing Your ways through reading your guidebook to me. Direct my steps today to accomplish all that You have for me to do. In Jesus name, Amen.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

A Cathedral 4th of July

A Sacred Celebration!
For Our Legacy of Freedom
100 Flags in Sacred Memory

Gary Del Rosario - our very special friend from the Seattle Opera will join all of our choirs and music groups in an encouraging and thrilling time of sacred worship.

Pastor Tim’s message will stir your heart!! Our special guests a U.S. Marines Color Guard will present the Colors and help dedicate 100 “sacred memory flags.” The music will place strong wings on weary hearts!!!

If you have someone who has served our Country in the Armed Services, we willpermanently tag one of the sacred memory flags to be displayed each 4th of July onthe Church altars; enabling our greatcongregation to give God thanks for their gift of service. Call the church office.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

A Prophetic Voice

"Listen! I hear the voice of someone shouting.” Is 40:3

I sometimes hear a voice. . . . . . voices. . .
they are saying. . . whispering. . . . shouting
“Why? Why can’t you just be a normal church?
You know. . . a church-church!”
Dignified. . . biblical. . . oh, very biblical
spiritual. . . yes, very, very spiritual
a comfortable church!
Let someone else remember the
garbage dump children.

Only Imagine
Imagine a little boy
or a little girl
caught in a huge area. . . of burning garbage.
It’s only a dream. . .
it’s not even nice.

She’s crying. . . crying
whimpering, helplessly
wiping her eyes with her dirty little dress
the wind picks up! She screams
“Help me! Help me!
Someone help me!”

You run. . . you run, run, run
she sees you coming. . .
holds up her little arms
flames leap. . . you just run harder.
She opens her arms! You scoop her up
and you run and run and run!

I think we have just defined our church- - - did you know Pastor, Dr. Rey Diaz has studied 27 of the worlds largest dumps? Guess we’ll take them one at a time! Caleb

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

"An Overflowing Life!"

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to know what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. Philippians 1:9-10


The other day, one of my children challenged me to memorize the entire book of 1 John this summer. We were on a one-on-one and they said that they were motivated to memorize the book and asked if I would join them. I paused - looking for a good excuse. I started by saying that I had tried to memorize it 35 years ago and failed - I did end up memorizing a synopsis of the book though. I thought about the busyness of my life, all my challenges and my memory challenges (I could hide my own Easter eggs and have funfinding them!) then I said, “Yes.” I said yes because (if you are a dad) it is tough to say no to a daughter who gives you that “daddy look.” And I said yes because I knew that this was a moment - one that I needed to seize to be fully alive.

My kids have learned that overflowing-faith comes when a Christian understands that growth comes not from listening to the radio preachers or television evangelists or even the pastor of a local church.Overflowing faith is when you learn how to dive into the Word yourself, have a no-excuse prayer life and a seize-the-moment fellowship life.

Oh, how I long that you defy the shallow faith epidemic of our generation. That your theology (understanding of God) goes beyond pop-faith and the latest trend. That you learn to dive deep into the word, walk unceasingly with a conversation with your Lord and Savior and that you put that faith into practice in the adventure of your life! Do you know your spiritual gift? Have you discovered the adventure of serving others? Do you know about the law of God’s economy - that he has given you everything in the first place and the last thing you want to do in tough times is to break your partnership with him?

My grandson, Elijah, is living with us a for a couple weeks. I bid on a bunch of cars at last week’s auction and lost, but some gracious person gave the cars to my son-in-law to give to me so that I could give them to Elijah. I have never seen him enjoy a present so much (he sleeps with these cars). He alternately hordes and shares his cars. The other day I asked him if I could play with one of his green cars (a really cool, old ford pickup truck). He said, “No, No GP” and went into the mode of hording his cars. I thought, “Hey – those cars are a miracle. How can you think you own them and not want to share?” But then I thought, “Isn’t that exactly the situation of the non-overflowing life?” When I was pondering whether I really want to invest all the time to memorize 1 John with my child, I realized that even being asked such a question is a miracle!So I challenge myself (and you) to live our life, not from a faithless model of scarcity, but a faithful model of overflowing - it really makes sense!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White