It's Christmas at the Cathedral. . . Let's

“Share the Light!”

“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance. Look and see, for everyone is coming home! . . . Your eyes will shine, and your heart will thrill with joy.”

Isaiah 60:1-5

Dear Friends,

Being a part of a kid’s Christmas Pageant is one of the biggest, warmest points in any child’s faith. It’s the kind of thing that builds memories for a lifetime. Last Sunday, several of our Washington Cathedral young people stopped me at the door to ask if they could be a part of the Christmas pageant this year. I said, “Well, we’ll have to wait and see.” One little girl responded back to me, “Well, you’re the big cheese; can't you put in a good word for me?” People call pastors a lot of things - priests - reverends, but seldom are we called “the big cheese.” But yes, this year we as a staff decided that every child should get take part in a Christmas program. Our church has a long standing tradition that “people attend once a year or every Sunday.” And at Christmas we are always happy when we get to welcome people home with open arms. So regardless of your busy schedule, there ought to be some time that will work for your kids to be a part of a Christmas program. And if they can be here for the 23rd (our one-hour Christmas Pageant) then what a blessing that will be for everyone!

Yes, it’s Christmas season at the Cathedral! I am here on Tuesday morning and I can't tell you how beautiful the Spirit Falls Chapel and the Randy & Rod Halvorson ReCreation Center look with the glistening snow covering them (and the entire campus). A few of us made it in. Bob Baird is setting up a Christmas tree lot (which will be ready soon after Thanksgiving); plans are being made for our church Christmas decorations (all done by volunteers with Christmas Spirit); and the services this year will be warm, spirit-filled and sparkling with Christmas!

Starting December 5th we will have a Christmas Children’s programs every weekend as a part of the service. And- - - if you want your kids to be part of it then they are more than welcome. Different ages will be the focus of each weekend. We hope to have a bunch of kids at each of our services for each weekend!

Sunday, December 5th - The Cherubs! (2 & 3 year olds)
Sunday, December 12th - The Little Angles and Shepherds! (Infant through Kdg)
Sunday, December 19th - The Silent Nativity! (1st through 6th grade)
AND!!! ALL children get to be involved in The Kid’s Christmas Musical (a part of) “The Glory of Christmas” Pageant in Mountainside Sanctuary at 7:30pm on Thursday, December 23rd!

On Christmas Eve, December 24, at 6pm & 11pm, we will have an “old-style” Christmas Eve service in Spirit Falls Sanctuary concluding with a ballerina surrounded by tiny cherub dancers stealing the moment, reminding of us of the tiny cherub in each of us.

Please call my wife Jackie for more information 425-861-1375; she will be coordinating the children’s parts with Pastor Naomi, Jannette & Pastor Dale White.

It truly is going to be a very merry Christmas!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

P.S. Please invite family, friends and neighbors to any of these wonderful Christmas services. We plan to make each service a very special time for you to “Share the Light of Christmas.”

"Visualize With Me!"

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13

I have a dream. It’s a dream I’ve had for 35 years. It is not a dream about buildings or reaching a certain number of people, but rather it is a dream about the quality of our church. 35 years ago, when God gave me the dream of starting and building Washington Cathedral―a church that would become a pacesetting, great caring network; I could see a fantastic Thanksgiving Eve service. The Thanksgiving holiday is a wonderful time to celebrate all the blessings God has brought into our lives.

Join me as I visualize this year- - - the front of our sanctuary filled with grocery sacks of food for the less fortunate- - - food that will be given to needy families in our community. Now, visualize with me a beautiful candlelight service with the magnificent Spirit Falls waterfall in the background.

After the service I visualize every family getting together with friends, family and/or a family they hardly know- - - new friends- - - and enjoying dessert or a snack in one of their homes followed by games and fun. This can be an evening that will pull our children and families together- - - to be the church-family that we dream of.

Won’t you help make these visions and dreams come true for your family and for our church? Come and celebrate with your church family and be a part of the Candlelight Thanksgiving Eve Service―Wednesday, November 24th at 7pm in Spirit Falls Sanctuary. Bring sacks of groceries and bring your family and friends- - - and- - - prepare to make friendships that will last a lifetime!!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

“Miracles Still Happen Today!”

Hello Pastor Tim,

I need to tell you this story- - -

Almost 10 years ago, when I was living in WA, I did attend WA Cathedral regularly. We were also part of a TLC and joined a couple’s seminar. I then became really ill and it didn't look good for me at all. I was treated at UW for Pemphigus Vulgaris - a blistering auto-immune disease. At UW, they did allow me to disconnect from my IV medications and attend service. My husband picked me up at the hospital and we drove to Redmond for church. I even remember one time I felt so weak that I was lying on the pew.

There was one service that I attended during this time and you preached on, “Miracles Still Happen Today!” You were telling us that Jesus didn’t just perform miracles in the bible, but that he still performs miracles today. In our handout was a small card which read, “It would be a miracle if/when_____.” We were asked to complete the sentence. I wrote, “It would be a miracle if I would become healthy again and would be able to have a child.” (Most of the medications that I had been taking would not allow me to get pregnant, or would reduce the chances of ever getting pregnant). We put all the small cards on the wall at the back of the church and gather there to pray over these cards for the next four weeks.

Well… I stopped taking medications in 2004 and I have not had a single blister since. On Thanksgiving Day of 2008 Markus was born and we are enjoying our days together. I moved back to Germany after I separated from my husband (otherwise I would stop by to tell you this story in person.) Feel free to tell this story as often as you like - I share it here in Germany. Let me know if there is anything I can help you with.

Have a wonderful day,

Carolin

"If I don't bless you - - - it makes God sad!"

Ephesians Chapter 4, which happened to be the Cathedral Small Group Study passage, is so practical it- - - actually hurts or helps!

Speaking of the church, so in other words our Washington Cathedral family- - - Eph 4:16 plainly tells us our job is to build each other up in love.

"And if we don't or won't- - -
encourage each other
it makes God sad!"

The Bible plainly says it makes God sad! The exact scriptural wording is, "It grieves the Holy Spirit!" (See Eph 4:30) Wow!! That sounds severe- - - obviously it is a very serious matter, but the answer is simple and extremely wonderful- - - "It's our job to bless and encourage each other."

Please note this is not something we are to step aside and let God do, but this is clearly something that God wants to do through us, "Builds itself up in love." (Eph 4:15)

It's like God gets big tears in His eyes if we miss a chance to encourage each other!

It's a serious, wonderful thing- - - who will God assign to you this week to bless and encourage??? And if you do it! God will smile on you!!- - - And that's good!- - - In fact that's very good!!!

Pastor Dale Caleb White