Rev. Zach

Hebrews 10:11-14, 19-25        Mark 13:1-8 It has been an interesting week. We have moved from the serious responsibility of taking care of our military veterans to the silliness of debates over who is offended – or even defending against attacks from – red coffee cups to the severity of terrorism and absolute suffering. Much of this drama has played out though social media in ways that make it all seem both highly personal and totally virtual at the same time. Of course, violence is not some virtual reality. Oh that it were so, and we could spawn and re-spawn countless numbers of lives! When we hear the terrible truth of lives lost to violence we cannot help but turn to God. We ask questions of purpose. We make declarations of judgement, and we make vows and speak prayers that expose our fear even as we are called to hope. Some may even think that it is time to abandon hope in the present and place all of our trust in the future. When the world seems to be chan...

Isaiah 1:1, 10-20     Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23     Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16     Luke 12:32-40 The scripture passages we have received today remind me of the relatively modern invention of the Choose Your Own Adventure books. If you have not experienced this genre of children’s literature, each book has a central theme and puts the reader as a first person narrator in the story. At certain points the reader must choose what to do next and turn to the corresponding page (which is not necessarily the next page). The story continues until another choice is required, and the same pattern continues until you reach the end of a story line – whether by peril or success – depending on your choices as the reader. I tell you this because I think there is a fairly simplistic story line that can be read out of these passages, and there are more complex threads to find if you are willing to “follow the white rabbit” as both Lewis Carrol and the Matrix invite u...

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 ...

First Presbyterian Church - Lafayette, Louisiana January 22, 2012 - Epiphany (3B) Jonah 3:1-5, 10 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Mark 1:14-20 I would imagine that most of you have had - at some point in your life - a pet. Not everyone enjoys the burdens and blessings brought on by taking one of God’s creatures into their care. Those who do are either really good at faking it or truly appreciative of the love they receive from an animal. Owning a pet is somewhat of a luxury, of course. There are many nations and cultures that think we are nuts for treating animals as family members. Americans spent around 50 billion on their pets last year - a figure that has continued to climb regardless of the economy. Pets, in our culture, fall somewhere between a connection with God’s creation and a hubristic expression of vanity - and sometimes it is a little bit of both. I say this as a new pet owner, having recently acquired/rescued a “designer dog” from ARF-LA. Being a rescued dog, Emma Jane is a...

First Presbyterian Church - Lafayette, Louisiana January 15, 2012 - Epiphany (2B) 1 Samuel 3:1-10 Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 John 1:43-51 “What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name; And for that name, which is no part of thee, Take all myself.” “I take thee at thy word. Call me but love, and I'll be new baptiz'd; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.” So goes the impassioned plea of Juliet into the darkness of night where it finds the response of Romeo in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2) . Their agreement seals their fate as “star cross’d lovers” with a tragic end - to the shock and delight of audiences young and old for more than four hundred years and counting! In this brief moment - through the risk of their conversation - they reflect the reality of the fact that we ...

Well, we finally did it.  The PC(USA) took a demonstrative stand on the issue of homosexuality, and it has become quite the media sensation without and quite the firestorm within.  I will admit to voting in favor of this amendment, and I will tell you why.  Primarily I felt the former language of the rule limiting ordained office (ministers, elders, and deacons) to those "faithful in marriage and chaste in singleness" to be disingenuous.  The church had no desire to become the bedroom police of it's heterosexual leadership, and no desire to take a stand on issues related to sexual promiscuity.  The language was simply there to keep a gate closed to homosexuals and to turn a blind eye to those following social norms.  I do not mean to say that the norm of marriage between a man and a woman is bad.  I mean to say that we all know which speed limits are enforced and where to push the limit. Beyond the double standard of the language, there are gays and ...

First Presbyterian in Lafayette, Louisiana November 24, 2010 – Advent 1 Isaiah 2:1-5 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:36-44 Today is the beginning of something new, or at least it could be.   Today is the beginning of Advent, the Season of preparation leading up to the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Christ.   Of course the average person on the street or even in the pews of most congregations does not usually think about or talk about Advent except for when we light the candles on the wreath.   Think about it.   When was the last time you said, “Happy Advent!” Then again, is that even appropriate?   Advent is a time of getting ready, anticipation, and stress.   That’s not necessarily a bad thing.   Stress can be a good thing.   It indicates how important an activity is to you.   It reminds you what you care about.   Maybe we should say, “Anxious Advent!” just to see who is paying attention. I can recall those days of reta...