Rev. Zach

With all the political hubub that is going on I have been thinking about the way in which religion (particularly Christian and Islam) are being bandied about in a nation with religious freedom undergirding its central tenants. Now, to be clear, the First Amendment does not say there is to be no religion in the political theater. It simply states that there will be no state imposed religion. That being said, the idea of this amendment acting as a firewall between church and state is not new and was introduced by Thomas Jefferson in 1802. Did Jefferson and the constitutional framers envision the level of religious pluralism we are swimming in today? Of course not, but that's another thought for another day. Here is what's on my mind for today. It seems to me that many of those who decry the Theocracies of the Middle East and want to replace them with a secularized Democracy are the very ones who are condemning the leadership of our country when they are not in lock step w...

“Throw Open the Doors” is a sermon that was delivered in worship at Euharlee Presbyterian on July 27, 2008. Scripture: Luke 10:1-9 Sermon: If your family is at all like mine, I bet you have some family stories. Some of us have close friends that we share funny stories with as well. Most of those stories are best if you were there or if you know the people involved. But some stories are just good no matter what. Like one of the many times my mother, Lord bless her, a single working parent with three children (an eleven year old son, a fourteen year old daughter, and a seventeen year old son) tried to instill manners and maintain decorum at the dinner table. On this particular occasion my brother, heathen that he was, salted his food before tasting it. My mother, who always sat up straight, stiffened her lip, lifted her nose ever so slightly and said in an austere southern voice, “Jeffrey Scott Sasser, only barbarians salt their food before tasting.” The stillness was palpable as ...

A friend sent me this link from Brian Jones , and I think it makes some valid points. Primarily he is arguing that the term "Christian" is only used in the Bible by non-believers who are describing people as Christ Followers. Not a bad term, but he is arguing the point that its not all that scriptural in the first place, and that it says nothing of function. Disciple, however, is used routinely in the New Testament and, he says, has a more active connotation and root meaning. My question is this... Is anyone outside the circles of Christianity (non-believers, un-churched, what have you) going to care? Is there truly a connotation of activity with one word over another? And what activity is conjured in the mind of those not already in the community of faith? Not that we tailor to the needs of those outside the community, but the question (at least for me) is whether we are practicing a theology of inclusivity or exclusivity. I think this speaks to the quagmire of fa...

Joan Grey , present Moderator of the General Assembly of the PC(USA) is winding down her term and fulfilling her role as Ambassador to the church. She spoke at a recent meeting of the Cherokee Presbytery and opened the floor to questions. My notes are incomplete and may not be direct quotes, but I tried to record the sense of things as I understood it. What is "Missional", and how is it happening in the PC(USA)? I'll give you an example. My husband and I showed up at 4th Presbyterian in Boston . It's located in the kind of place that you aren't sure if you want your car parked on the street or not, really a bad part of town. We walked into a Bible study and found a man who looked homeless, very grungy and unkempt. Next to him sat a man in a business suit, and next to him a woman in batik. When we went to worship we saw that this was what the whole congregation was like. They were a true mix of the social strata, and everyone was accepted. I think that...

Joan Grey , present Moderator of the General Assembly of the PC(USA) is winding down her term and fulfilling her role as Ambassador to the church. She spoke at a recent meeting of the Cherokee Presbytery and opened the floor to questions. My notes are incomplete and may not be direct quotes, but I tried to record the sense of things as I understood it. What surprisingly positive experiences have you had while visiting congregations in the last two years? The most surprising thing to me was to experience the vitality of some of our smaller congregations. These are congregations in communities where the population has shifted, and there is no hope of being the larger congregations they once were. What I found is a real honest attitude that said, "We know we can not be what we used to be. God, what can we do now?" I think these congregations are taking a very faithful approach to living and being the church. Another gratifying experience was the chance to meet and talk to...

Her face held the burden of knowing, Knowing her faults and fears. Yet in her eyes was a fire, A sense that in spite of these things she survived. A sense that because of these things she had survived. Still there was a sadness over the cracks in her vessel. I smiled, seeing that we shared this knowledge of self. Though hers was deeper, from many more years. All I could say is that our cracks... If we really believe in God's grace, If we really believe our cup runs over, Then our cracks are simply the means for grace, To spill on and fill up others. She laughed and said, "I sure am spilling a lot!"

OK, I'll admit it. I'm a big Dr. Who fan. In the last episode he goes to a planet of the slave race known as the Ood. When his human counterpart, Donna, asks if there was ever a time they were free or what are they like when they are born, the Dr. says he's never thought of it. When she remarks that a future human empire has been built on slavery, he says, "Where do you think your clothes come from?" I hate to admit, but I was stunned. I'm still wrestling with that. Really I have been for a while. The reality of the matter is that our lives as US citizens are so intertwined with forced labor that we have no practical way of freeing ourselves. Most of us don't know because we don't think to ask. From clothes to car and computer parts we are consumers of slave labor. What to do...what to do? Part of me wants to start a mass movement rejecting forced labor products. Maybe just start with clothing alone and start a movement of wearing forced la...