Rev. Zach

First Reading 2 Samuel 23:1-7 Psalm Psalm 132:1-12 (13-18) Gospel John 18:33-37 This weekend I took my kids to see The Rise of the Guardians . I will admit that there were aspects of the film that went about as expected. I will also admit that I really enjoyed the film, even though it is a cultural affirmation of everything secular and nothing sacred about the major holidays of the Christian religion (and a few other fairy tales) with the exception of one thing – hope. The unlikely hero of the story is Jack Frost, and he is chosen to help fight off a growing fear and foreboding that is welling up to replace the innocence of childhood. A Russian version of Santa challenges the brooding and reluctant Jack with a stack of nesting dolls that reveal different characteristics of the mythical benefactor - ending with a baby in the center. I wish I could tell you that they did not waste an opportunity to reference the Christ child, but we’ll just have to make that leap of faith on our own. ...

Sermon Delivered 11/11/12 Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17 Psalm 127:1-5 Hebrews 9:24-28 Mark 12:38-44 Before we reflect on today’s scripture passages, I want to remind you of one of the rich moments in scripture that we were not able to attend to last Sunday. Last Sunday we heard the story of the healing of Lazerus, and there is a line in that story that is so intimidating that it often gets skipped over. Do you remember what Thomas said after Jesus told them that – now that Lazerus was dead – it was time to go to Jerusalem? He said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Thomas the doubter, Thomas the cynic, Thomas the realist; Thomas is the voice of raw, unmeasured faith and costly discipleship. We remember this little, easily forgotten, line today because of the story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. For in this story, Ruth is with her mother-in-law because Naomi’s husband and sons have all died. Naomi returned to her ancestral home, which had been in a famine when she left, and Ruth went ...

Sermon Delivered on 11/04/12  Isaiah 25:1-10 Revelation 21:1-6 John 11:1-45 Well, it seems we have made it through the historical time of warding off evil spirits by spending around 2.4 billion on candy and around 8 billion in holiday related items. You can champion industry or you can challenge excess, but those are the numbers according the Christian Science Monitor . As we all find ways to discretely consume or get rid of the spoils of All Hallows Eve, we are presented today with the opportunity of All Saint’s Day. In some ways this day began an attempt to Christianize the pagan celebrations of All Hallows Eve. In some ways – I believe – it also became a way to make sure none of the Saints were left out. As Christianity spread through the West and martyrs and inspiring souls became known as sources of faith, certain saints may not have been known in certain other regions. The term, Saint, also became more of a title than a category. In his letters, Paul refers to the Saint...

How does one write a sermon for All Saints Day on while one's grandmother is teetering on the brink of eternity in the hospital? [This is not an actual sermon. I just had to express some thoughts before they consumed me. Many of them will probably make it into the sermon, but not all.]  Last minute sermon writing aside (get over it, 90% of us do it about 95% of the time), this is definitely one of those times that is difficult to separate personal feelings from proclamation. Margaret Johnson Sasser – a.k.a. Mom – is 92 and lives with relative independence. She has an attendant, whom she regularly kicks out. Last Thursday night she fell and broke her hip as a result of her independence. I do not fault her for this. I admire her for it. Last night she had hip surgery, which was also risky because she has a faulty heart valve. It seems reasonable to say that she has a weak heart – unless you know her. She was given 6 months to live about 2.5 years ago. She was a pioneer among women ...