Rev. Zach

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26      Psalm 1:1-6      John 17:6-19 Do you pray together? That’s a question I ask every couple at some point during pre-marital counseling. Some have said yes, but the majority have said, “No, that’s really a very personal thing.” I get that. I truly do, but I always tell them – as I will say to you – that there is nothing more intimate than praying together. I think that’s one of the reasons that some of us value the Agape Prayer lunch on Wednesdays. So often in our prayers someone will say, “Thank you for this group.” For those who have not attended, I want to tell you a few things about that group. First off, everyone is welcome. We share a meal that we take turns preparing, and we won’t expect you to cook unless you feel called to sign up to do it. The next thing is that it takes time. We usually go from about 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. We talk about our lives, and we laugh with each other. The last thing is that ...

Acts 1:6-14 1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11 John 17:1-11 Established – this is one of the most dangerous words we can encounter as a church. 1 Peter claims that God will “restore, support, strengthen, and establish” us. Generally speaking, these are good things. Yet I believe that the past tense of the last part of that promise – to be established – can be as much of a curse as it is a blessing. Of course, I am taking the term “establish” completely out of context, so let me back up and fill in some holes before I go too much further. All three of these readings were most likely written close to the end of the first century. To put it in perspective, scholars believe that Jesus’ death and resurrection were around 33 AD. Rome exercised total control over Israel and Judah, and tensions were rising that eventually spilled over into outright rebellion in 66 AD, with the result of the temple of Jerusalem being overrun and destroyed in 70 AD. Around this time, or a little later...

Sermon Delivered May 20, 2012 – Easter (7B)  Psalm 1 1 John 5:9-13 John 17:6-19 As we begin to wrestle with these texts today - with their claims of exclusivity and condemnation - I’d like you to consider the idea of belonging. What does it mean to you to belong? Who, or what, do you belong to? Most of us have so many allegiances in our lives that we sometimes feel that we are in the midst of a competition, or perhaps we are being competed over. We live somewhere in the midst of family considerations, Doctor’s orders, financial obligations, the needs of our friends, and - heaven forbid - even the opportunity for relaxation and enjoyment. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between the people, places, and things that belong to us and the people, places, and things that we belong to. Belonging certainly implies ownership, indeed “to be the property of a person or thing” is one of the definitions of belonging prescribed by www.merriam-webster.com . There is a lot more to ...