Pastor Zachary Garris at the podium in Bryce Avenue Presbyterian Church at 333 Bryce Ave. Tuesday in White Rock. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com
Pastor Zachary Garris is celebrating his six-month anniversary serving at Bryce Avenue Presbyterian Church (PCA) at 333 Bryce Ave. in White Rock. He was ordained Oct. 10, 2021.
“It’s the people at Bryce Avenue Presbyterian Church who make serving such an honor,” Pastor Garris told the Los Alamos Daily Post. “It’s a well-established church with many faithful people and they’ve been very welcoming.”
The new pastor also spoke about his greatest challenge – following in the prior pastor’s footsteps.
“Pastor Henry Fernandez served here for 34 years,” Pastor Garris said. “He had a successful ministry and was well-loved.”
Pastor Garris arrived in town last October with his wife Sara and their 17-month-old son David. Garris came from Michigan and his wife was born in Kuwait, where her father is a pastor, he said.
“We are glad to be here and hope we can serve the community,” Pastor Garris said.
Bryce Avenue Presbyterian Church (BAPC), is a member of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), which is the largest conservative Presbyterian denomination in the USA. BAPC is a multi-generational congregation of believers committed to the faithful preaching and teaching of reformed biblical truth, he said.
BAPC has served the communities of White Rock and Los Alamos in Northern New Mexico for more than 45 years. It was founded as Sangre de Cristo Covenant Church in August of 1975 as a particular church of the Presbyterian Church in America. The founding pastor was the Rev. Wayne A. Buchtel.
The church moved into the Bryce Avenue facility in January of 1977. Covenant Christian School (K-12) was run by the church in its facility from 1980 until 1997.
In 1985, the church changed its name to Bryce Avenue Presbyterian Church. In the fall of 1986, the Rev. LaVerne Donaldson became the interim pastor, followed in the spring of 1987 by the Rev. Henry Fernandez. The church facility was rebuilt in 1992 following a major fire.
Pastor Garris regularly teaches 9 a.m. Sunday School and preaches at 10:20 a.m. each Sunday.
“We invite everyone in the community to visit our church and learn more about the Christian faith,” he said.
Pastor Garris is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Miss., and has a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School. Prior to being called to minister here, he practiced law and taught at a Christian school.
For more information, visit www.brycepresbyterian.org or email Pastor Garris at pastor@brycepresbyterian.org.
Pastor Zachary Garris with his wife Sara and their son David. Courtesy photo