Rev. Zach

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 Psalm 19 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a Luke 4:14-21 Sermon audio can be found here for up to one month. Have you ever had one of those moments when it was confirmed deep within your soul that what you were doing was wrong? I don’t mean simple mistakes. I’m talking about realizing that some of your actions – or even patterns of behavior – are entirely disconnected from your values. All of us have some moment like that – some dark night of the soul – if we live long enough, or at least I hope that we do.  Otherwise we may never see ways to correct our imperfections and tru ly become what we have been created to become. Otherwise we might live our lives like a spare part and never know it. Most of us have drawers full of those little parts – an extra screw or one of those weird little rubber things that went to a shelf, or a desk, or something. The Israelites in today’s passage were certainly confronted with the idea that they had been less tha...

Sermon delivered by Monique Peddy, Clerk of Session, on Laity Sunday First Presbyterian Church has an amaing tradition called Laity Sunday, where the service is entirely put together by the congregation and involves as many people in leadership as possible. As you will see from the following, it is not about being in charge or taking over from the Pastor. It is not about giving the Pastor a day off or apprecciating the Pastor. Laity Sunday is about letting the Holy Spirit take over. It is a corporate expression of who we are and what we believe. Who is in charge? God is in charge, just like always. Job 23:1-9, 16-17 Psalm 22:1-15 Hebrews 4:12-16 Mark 10:17-31 OK, I don’t know about you guys, but I always think of that as “The Stewardship” passage. Maybe that is because it always comes in October and October is when the annual Stewardship drive starts. More likely it has to do with hearing it and then getting a “sermon” (and I’ll use that term loosely) about how we n...

"Sacrifice" Journey of Faith - Part Two Ruth 1:18-19 Philippians 2:5-11 This is the second sermon in a series titled “Journey of Faith.” My first sermon was on calling. We looked at the call of Matthew and talked about finding the connection between the world’s greatest need and your greatest joy. Greg Garis, our Interim Presbytery Exec. Followed it with a sermon on Jacob wrestling with God. He reminded us to Go for it, and claim the blessing that comes from wrestling with God even if we walk away limping. Today we are considering the story of Ruth and Naomi as well as one of the earliest confessions of faith in Christian tradition. As we continue in this journey together, let us pause for a word of prayer. Lord, silence in us all competing thoughts and concerns, that nothing ring true in this place but the sound of your light in a darkened world. And Lord, if there are any words spoken or considered that are not in keeping with your truth, strike them q...