Rev. Zach

Psalm 36:5-10        1 Corinthians 12:1-11 The new year has dawned, and one of the things that strikes me as interesting is how much loss I have seen expressed at the beginning of the year. Not only have there been a few deaths in our congregation and with some of our close members and friends, but there have been a few famous actors and entertainers that have died. I have never been one for the worship of stars, and so I found it interesting how moved I was when I heard of David Bowie’s passing. Sure, he may have encouraged us to get to the church on time, but I think it was his creative spirit and his encouragement to embrace change that inspired me as a kid. In the midst of that change there was also the claim that we could be heroes – just for one day. Even knowing that our heroics may only matter in the moment we act and with the person we’re with doesn’t stop us from being heroes. And who doesn’t want to be a hero – or at least, who wouldn’t love to be though...

Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23     James 2:1-17     Mark 7:24-37 As some of you may know, I have from time to time taken to studying scripture in coffee shops instead of my office.  Something about the buzz of human interaction makes the gospel come alive.  Certainly there are distractions, but none of them have the weight of property issues or administrative tasks. One such day I overheard two women talking about their past and current struggles.  They were both displaced by Katrina, and probably in their late 40’s.  One of them, who called herself Karen, noted my Bible and asked for prayer.  She was living on Social Security while getting certified as a medical transcriptionist.  I did pray with her, but I did not share the poem they inspired.  It seemed a bit much to tell a stranger that I wrote a poem about her, but I’ll share it with you now.  It was raining that day, so the title of the poem is Rain. I hear a wo...

Genesis 1:1-2:3     Romans 8:22-28     Luke 9:23-27 As we approach the anniversary of the birth of our congregation, I am aware that there are a few other anniversaries around this time of year. Hurricane Katrina made landfall on August 29, 2005 – followed by her sister Rita on September 26, 2005. These were two of the deadliest storms in our nation’s history, and although Lafayette is presently in a state of growth, the region will feel their impact for generations to come. Of course we also remember the tragedy of September 11, 2001, with the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentegon, and UA Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. The ripples of these events continue to ebb and flow around the world. As some of the military campaigns that have attempted to respond to these tensions come to a close, our society will begin to see more and more displaced veterans with their families. Perhaps it is something about the change of seasons, but it seems that the world is...

Isaiah 13:1-13 Hebrews 12:18-29 John 3:22-30 As I began to write these words I became overwhelmed with a feeling of inadequacy. I was reminded of a recent comic strip that had a story inside a story. The first three pains were of a hero falling off a cliff saying to himself, “How do I get out of this? Think, think!” Then, just before impact he resigns to say, “Nope. I got nothin’.” The last frame shows someone looking over the shoulder of the author of the story and saying, “Wow. So that’s what writer’s block looks like?” Tragedy makes us feel powerless, and we do not like feeling powerless (note comment by Angele McCord following this article ). In the wake of reports from the senseless shooting of 20 innocent children and 6 courageous women, nothing seems to make sense. Social media sites exploded with reactions on every side of the issues this opened up. (Interestingly – I could not think of a non-violent term to describe the spontaneous spike in activity. Violence is s...

First Presbyterian Church - Lafayette, Louisiana October 30, 2011 - Ordinary (31A) Commitment Sunday Joshua 3:7-17 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 Matthew 23:1-12 Today is commitment Sunday, and my job is to make you feel that your commitment to the church is somehow more valuable than any of the thousand other commitments in your life. At least that is what it feels like from my side of the pulpit. Truth be told, that is what I often feel like when I forget my place. God has a way of putting me back in my place, and usually scripture is a part of that action. Today’s texts are a reminder that it is God alone who makes us low or raises up. Our various commitments may be a part of that experience, but they do not determine our value. So, for that reason, it is kind of silly to think that one commitment or another is more valuable in the eyes of God. Yet all of our actions and decisions affect our ability to experience and express the active presence of God - who is in our midst. Mayb...