From the Pastor

This is a weekly devotional space where our pastor, as well as staff members on occasion, offer reflections, spiritual insights, and words of encouragement rooted in Scripture and everyday life. These writings are intended to challenge, inspire, and draw us closer to God and to one another as we strive to live out our faith with boldness and compassion. Whether offering comfort, conviction, or a call to action, each column invites us into deeper discipleship and shared community. When The Columns does not run, there is no new entry for From the Pastor.

July 12, 2026

On Thursday of this week, at noon, I sat at First Presbyterian Church with Fr. David Johnston of Trinity Episcopal, Rev. Melissa Snyder of Central Christian (Disciples of Christ), Rev. Scott Sears of First United Methodist, Rev. Mark Boyd of First Presbyterian, and Rev. Sarah Wilmoth of Johnson Memorial United Methodist. Rev. Wilmoth started two weeks ago and showed up for the meeting

yesterday! How ‘bout her! Others were invited, too, but scheduling conflicts happen.


Aside from Rev. Sears, none of us have served downtown Huntington for more than 3 years. All but one of us are new here, with Rev. Wilmoth and me the newest. I delighted in easy and enjoyable conversation and great energy for ministry in my downtown colleagues. What a good gift to me as a new Huntington pastor. What a good gift to the City of Huntington to have good pastors on Fifth Avenue.


Due to all that was the pandemic and turnover in nearly every downtown church pastorate in the last 5 years, there haven’t been meetings like this one in quite some time. I’m sure many of you have memories of some kind of “downtown ministerial association” that did this and that in the past. I encourage you to savor those memories, and I encourage you to let the new group of new clergy

find our own way together. Some past things may be resurrected. Many will not. We will meet monthly to ponder and pray and to “encourage one another and build one another up.” I believe this will be good soil for the Spirit to sow seed.


That was Thursday at noon. On Thursday at 5:30, I drove out to Hope Christian Center (ABCUSA) in Ona and joined my first Guyandotte Association Pastors’ Dinner. Rev. Mike Lewis, the pastor there, really outdid himself. We had steak! Rev. Jim Butcher, pastor of Milton Baptist Church, led a good conversation about success, failure, and resilience in ministry. Twice in one day, I enjoyed easy, welcoming conversation and great energy for ministry. These good American Baptist pastors want to do good here in West Virginia.


“Iron sharpening iron.” That’s what comes to mind, but I don’t really like the metaphor for this. The experience the proverb points to is valid, but its metaphor too abrasive for what I experienced. I like the metaphorical tuning fork from the old hymn better. “Come, Thou fount of every blessing…tune my heart to sing thy grace.”


What a good gift from Christ’s church to me this week. I’m not sure I have a takeaway for you. Just a witness and thanksgiving for the church in its many, many incarnations in this world. Thanks be to God.


~ Rev. Zach Bay