Rev. Zach

Ezekiel 37:1-14      Acts 2:1-21     John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15 By now most of you know that I am of the genus and species known as the “Extravertus Maximus.” As was once noted by a member of my kind – who happen to be my General Presbyter when I began seminary – we think by speaking. For us, a conversation is much like working out a math problem on a black board with a group of people helping.  It is for this reason that there are few words that terrify me more than hearing someone say, “It’s like that time when you said…” because the good Lord may be the only one who knows what I truly said. Likewise, one of the most affirming experiences I’ve had in ministry was from a friend in Virginia who would occasionally respond to something I said in a discussion with, “Tell the truth!” Given that sometimes it is only God that knows  our hearts, and sometimes we only know that we have spoken truth when someone tells us that we did, I think we can all take...

Isaiah 55:1-9 Psalm 63:1-8 Luke 13:1-9 Sermon Audio is available  here for up to one month. Some of today's headlines read: Islamist militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar 'killed in Mali' NATO apologizes after two Afghan boys killed Who’s sin is the greater? Syria conflict: Assad accuses UK of bullying Zimbabwe's Mugabe holds lavish 89th birthday party Who’s sin is the greater? Gonzales man booked in meth lab case Keiosha Felix is still missing , and the current focus is on the firing of the lead investigator. Meanwhile, everyone remembers Mickey – as well they should, and no one is willing to talk about the possibilities and atrocities of human trafficking. Who’s sin is the greater? That’s what Jesus asks the crowd who cannot seem to interpret the headlines any better than the weather. A bold voice from the crowd asks about the injustice of Pilot, who mingled the blood of some Galileans – people from Jesus’ neck of the woods – wit...

Sermon Delivered 11/11/12 Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17 Psalm 127:1-5 Hebrews 9:24-28 Mark 12:38-44 Before we reflect on today’s scripture passages, I want to remind you of one of the rich moments in scripture that we were not able to attend to last Sunday. Last Sunday we heard the story of the healing of Lazerus, and there is a line in that story that is so intimidating that it often gets skipped over. Do you remember what Thomas said after Jesus told them that – now that Lazerus was dead – it was time to go to Jerusalem? He said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Thomas the doubter, Thomas the cynic, Thomas the realist; Thomas is the voice of raw, unmeasured faith and costly discipleship. We remember this little, easily forgotten, line today because of the story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. For in this story, Ruth is with her mother-in-law because Naomi’s husband and sons have all died. Naomi returned to her ancestral home, which had been in a famine when she left, and Ruth went ...

Sermon Delivered on July 1, 2012 – Season After Pentecost (5B)  2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 Acts 5:12-24 Mark 5:21-43 [ Dramatic Interpretation ] Restoration is such a positive word! It offers the hope of holding on to what is good while improving the bad and dysfunctional. As a boy I can recall my grandparents restoring an old farmhouse in North Georgia. I had no idea at the time what they must have gone through to raise the sagging wrap-around porch and replace the ancient newspaper they found in the wall with actual insulation. Restoring that house took them a few years, and I would bet a few more dollars than they expected. I never heard them complain, as it was not their way to do so. All I know is that they enjoyed themselves, and they used the opportunity to create a home of hospitality for others. Restoring old homes is not uncommon these days – even as our culture becomes more interested in disposable and temporary solutions. People refer to it as flipping homes, and they do ...