Celebrate…Come On!
“As also ye have acknowledged us in part that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
2 Corinthians 1:14 KJV
Our spiritual lives are not separate and apart from our actual lives. Indeed, we need The Holy Spirit day by day to live in this ball of confusion. “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16 KJV).
Therefore, it is unlikely that we will not be impacted by the worldliness that surrounds us; even the Commodores. So in reflecting on the 32nd Pastoral Anniversary of our beloved Pastor, Rev. Herman Washington, I borrowed the words for this headline from The Commodores’ “Celebration.”
Most of us know the song and, that the Commodores are an American funk and soul band who were at the height of their fame in the late 1970s through the mid- 1980s. The members of the group met in 1968, when they were freshmen at then Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. “Celebration” is often played at weddings, family reunions, and other social events, and has been the theme song for many celebrations. With a mood of joy and sophistication we are encouraged to “Celebrate…Come On.” It’s a clarion call dedicated to the sentiment towards something that is so great, that everyone is called to it. The words are crooned, written by native Alabamian Lionel Richie, who was recently inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame for his great body of work.
We celebrate many things: our heritage, our kids, our service, our style, but this month we are celebrating our Pastor, Reverend Herman Washington.
Come On. “Cel-e-brate,” (v) means to acknowledge; to honor; salute; recognize; praise; and to our Pastor on this, our 32nd anniversary together, we say, “Happy Anniversary Pastor.” We give praise to our God for the marvelous things He has done. You are our rejoicing.
Thirty-Two years ago, June 5, 1990, Pastor Washington, called to be Pastor came to Shiloh; a young man with a thirst and a hunger for righteousness. Armed with his Bible, some hard-learned experience, and the influence of many mentors, including his pastor-father, Pastor Washington obediently took watch over the flock at Shiloh, and with the unadulterated Word of God we have grown, and changed together.
So many great sermons. So many great lessons. So much influence and sacrifice. We have gained a lot together, and we have lost a lot together, yet together we stand on the Word taught here. He is not just our pastor, he is our brother and our friend.
There is no way to put into words the gratitude and the love that we have for him in the past 32 years, and there is no dollar amount that would be equivalent to his commitment to serve.
Some things have intrinsic value, and I believe that the love and leadership of one, who is just like us but sacrifices for others, is one of them.
We’ve all learned a lot from Pastor’s ministry, but I think the greatest lesson I’ve learned is that Jesus is incarnate God. He is not sitting around somewhere with his feet up watching me struggle through life. He’s got blood on his hands, wounds in his side, and a headache from a crown of thorns forced on his head- just because He loves me. The Word of God is rich and powerful, but we cannot hear without a preacher, and he cannot preach unless he is sent. Aren’t you glad that he came?!
It’s time to celebrate! Come On! This is a worthy cause, and we are encouraged to gather our best love gift this month, and through the provision that God has given us, show our love and appreciation to our Pastor. He’s really the people’s pastor, because he ministers to the world. As children under his watch, this is our time to acknowledge, and to honor him.
He is a great father; we know his children. He is a good husband; we know his wife. He is a great Pastor, we are his flock. He is a true leader, and a humble man with a big heart. We salute Pastor Washington.
Even after two and a half years of Covid, he’s still teaching; still preaching; still encouraging; still blessing babies; still counseling; still consoling; and with his own limitations, still standing!