Rev. Zach

 Debts or Trespasses? Numbers 14:18        Psalms 32:1-11       2 Corinthians 5:16-21        Matthew 6:9-15 One of my favorite moments in ecumenical worship is the train wreck between traditions over debts and trespasses during the Lord’s prayer. I like it because it is an uncomfortable space that forces us to recognize the division in the Body of Christ and the space that division creates for the movement of God’s Holy Spirit. That uncomfortable space leads me to wonder how often we robotically recite that portion of the prayer, and how often we deeply consider what it truly means to forgive and be forgiven of our debts – whatever that means. Let’s begin by getting the language of debts and trespasses out of the way. I’ll also ask the historians among us to forgive this brief and crude brushstroke of history. In the fourth century of the Common Era, the Latin Vulgate – translated from original manuscripts by St. Jer...

It’s All Providence  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8       Philippians 4:4-7         Luke 11:1-4 There are certain words and catch phrases that creep into our vocabulary from time to time. Every generation has them. These words and phrases usually stick around, retaining some significance but never really meaning what they once did – except to the generation or social group that first claimed them. You probably know what I am talking about – words like fine (or real fine), cool, hip, groovy, and awesome. Phrases like “the buzz,” or “I’m blessed,” or “It’s all good” are like this, too. Sometimes the words or phrases sound silly or even offensive to new ears. For example, some of you may remember me telling you about a friend in a rural town who was told that his sermon was awful and later realized it meant filled with awe or inspired. These buzz words and catch phrases are important to us, because they locate us. They state what matters to us in the...

                                                             Hallowed Be Thy Name  Isaiah 58:1-12       Romans 15:1-6       Mathew 6:5-15 Today begins a sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer. We call it the Lord’s Prayer because it is the only prayer prescribed by Jesus in scripture. As we begin a new season in the church with new classes, and as we continue to think about and talk about a new understanding of our calling as a faith community – that’s what it means to redefine our mission – it seems a position of prayer is a good place to start. I think prayer is a good place to start because it seems intimidating to say that we need to redifine our mission. It seems confrontational to say that we need to become transformed into something new. Yet that is the calling of Christian faith – a lif...

                                                                         Hospitality                           Jeremiah 2:4-13           Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16          Luke 14:1, 7-14 We’ve barely made it to labor day and the posturing of obsessed sports fans (yes that is technically redundant) condemning the actions of their opponents and all of their descendants has exploded accross the internet through the wonder of social media. I’m sure there have been banquets and festivals throughout the land as we begin the holy season of football worship. Call that sarcasm if you will, but I would argue that football as a sport is a center of value for our culture. It comm...