Rev. Zach

Isaiah 9:2,      Luke 2:1-14 Oh, how we love to hear that story! Whether it’s someone we love and trust like Dorinda or someone with the childlike confidence of Linus or the reassuring authority of our moms and little ones in our annual Christmas pageant – we love to hear the story of the nativity of Jesus! For those who are young, it is only second nature to hear a story so beloved and say, “Again! Read it again, Dad!” For those of us who have grown up or grown old or at least think that we may have somehow accidentally done either of those without meaning to, this story – the story of the birth of Jesus – brings us back to our natural state of wonder like no other story ever will. Some will hear it and think, like the Grinch, “Maybe there is something more to the meaning of Christmas that I have not heard before.” Some of us may think we already know the meaning of Christmas pretty well, but we still need the feeling of reassurance that the story brings. Maybe we just need the anchor

For our Scripture reading today, we have decided to let the children tell the story of the birth of Jesus. Scriptures from Luke and Matthew’s Gospels have been woven together and read and performed by the children of the church and their parents in a nativity like no other, happening in time like no other. I have to say that it has been a joy to be a part of these children’s lives as they grow in faith and this video demonstrates that there is nothing that can keep us truly apart when we are joined by God’s love in Christ! Now, get ready, because, People of God, this is the Word of the Lord—and thanks be to God for that! https://www.facebook.com/fpclafayette/videos/745154199426065 What a joy it was to hear and see our children and their parents telling the story of the birth of Jesus together in our Annual Christmas pageant! To be led toward the manger by them reminds me of the promise of Isaiah that “The wolf shall live with the lamb,     the leopard shall lie down with the kid, th

John 1:1-18   This past Wednesday a small group of us met for prayer as we often do on Wednesdays at 11:30. You can join us by zoom if you would like. We often have a few that join that way. You can call the church and we’ll send you the link if you don’t have it already. Anyway, last week Susan Cormier, who is a church member and also our Administrative Assistant, realized that lately, we have not been starting off our prayer meetings by sharing our joys! Shame on us. Joy and thanksgiving should be the root of prayer! When we begin anything with joy and gratitude, then everything becomes a response to God’s grace, whether we know it or not, and even if we reject or deny it. That’s why – in the words of my old theology professor from seminary, Doug Ottati –  we begin worship with confession of sin and the proclamation of salvation, or rather, as he said in class one day, “The good news of salvation is baked into our liturgy.” Sometimes we need a reminder that salvation is not just a wo

Matthew 1:18-24 We lit a candle for peace. Yay! So, what? What does that word even mean today – peace? I don’t mean to be rude or dark or cynical, but I feel like it’s one of those words we throw around a bit too easily sometimes...or maybe not enough. Sometimes we say it in parting, “Peace!” [flashes sideways peace sign] but what do we mean? Do we really want the other person to have peace? Do we want peace between us? Do we just want to be left alone and no longer bothered by the responsibility of interaction? Of course, some of us never say it at all – except maybe in church. That doesn’t mean that we don’t want peace between us. Maybe it’s just that some of us think that peace is a given as long as no one rocks the boat. Maybe some of us think that talking about peace – wishing each other peace – suggests that we don’t have it, and the idea of needing peace is threatening. Maybe some of us even think that peace is an outdated notion, or that it’s something personal and private, lik

Isaiah 11:1     Mark 1:1-8 This year has seemed to last forever, and yet suddenly it seems like Thanksgiving came and went so fast it was a blur. Now Christmas is approaching like a car on a roller coaster going clack, clack, up the hill before rushing down and around and into all kinds of twists and turns that are going to happen whether you like it or not.  It’s times like these that we look to our traditions for comfort and solace. Maybe that’s why I hear so many people say that they just can’t wait to put up their Christmas lights and sing their favorite Christmas songs. Not that we’re able to sing them this year, at least not together, but I can tell you that I’ve been listening to them a little earlier than usual this year. I can’t help but to agree with Angela Lansbury's privileged plea as the high society player, Mame, who lost it all in the Great Depression,  “ For we need a little music Need a little laughter Need a little singing Ringing through the rafter And we need a

  Love is the Way: Desmond Tutu, Dolly Parton, and You The Rev. Zachary S. Sasser 1 John 3:16-24; Psalm 43:5 Over the last two weeks, we’ve asked and answered questions about loving in the way that we have been loved. First, we asked, “How do I find the energy to keep loving when the world seems to be going the other way?” The answer we received was, to be honest about our history, to be guided by our traditions as we honor God, to recognize that we have been and are loved by God, and then respond to the world out of the love we have received. Hearing the call to love, we realized that loving as God loves requires us to give up some things. We give ourselves over to others – and we give up some measure of control – and so we asked, “Will loving everyone sacrificially make us all doormats?” The answer we received was, “No.”  As we looked into that further, we came to the realization that loving sacrificially helps us understand more fully who we were created to be in the first place as