It’s summer and that means we are diving into a new SERMON SERIES.

In response to great dialogue from several summers ago, we will spend five weeks focused on Gospel messages in beloved children’s literature, specifically by Theodore Geisel, AKA Dr. Seuss. In a family of faith like ours, we can appreciate that Jesus tells us to “become like children” (Matthew 18:3), and we all can find growth in going back to basics of our faith. Just like Dr. Seuss helped so many of us to enjoy reading, maybe he also can help us understand deeper truths of our face in fresh and new ways.

(NOTE: we also recognize how, in recent years, efforts have been made to reckon with some of the more problematic messages and portrayals of other races and religions in his books, so we will also hold those in mind each week along with the very relevant question: do we “cancel” someone entirely because of mistakes they have made when perhaps some of their other work is truly something good and valuable?)

This first week, we will look at one of his most famous books: Green Eggs and Ham. This simple story urges us to be open to new things, and to not assume that what we liked before will always hold true for our entire journey. What might God, like “Sam-I-Am” be trying to open our hearts towards, if we are just willing to listen?

Link to readable sermon PDF

This Sunday marks a truly momentous occasion in the life of Christ Our Anchor—we are forty years old! Not on this exact day, but many of the milestones that made us an official church happened forty years ago in 1982. For many of us as individuals, forty seemed old; middle aged; maybe we had a hard time with that milestone. But in church world, forty is young!!! We are just getting started! Other churches who have been in existence for hundreds of years have a lot more history, but they also have a lot more baggage to let go of in order to move in who God is calling them to be right NOW–in “post-pandemic” 2022 where the world is changing faster than ever. Some of the changes to our community and our church over these last forty years may be things that we do not like or understand; yet we are a part of it.

We will use this Pentecost Sunday to remember our treasured history and how God brought us this far, yes, but we will also be praying about where the wind of the Holy Spirit will be blowing us next. We hope you’ll continue to be a part of it and a part of us.

Personal note from Pastor Jessie: This Sunday is the last Sunday before Pentecost, and we come in the Narrative Lectionary to this gorgeous and ancient hymn about Christ from the early Christian Church that Paul uses in Philippians 2 to urge us all towards humility and unity. At first in writing this sermon, my mind was on our individual spiritual journeys and relationships to the idea of salvation. But after a week with three mass shootings, reckoning once again with white nationalism, and the heartbreaking murders of so many people even elementary aged children, I felt led by the Spirit to broaden our consideration of this passage to apply to our common life together. How do such commands as “look not to your own interests but value others above ourselves” here apply to such tragic events and such vicious divisions that unfold among us? What can people of faith do? What difference can our faith make in the face of such things? Just like last week, we thought together about a hard topic (suicide), I believe that we are called to wrestle with these things as a community.

ALSO PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO JOIN US FOR OUR CELEBRATION NEXT SUNDAY JUNE 5TH AT 10 AM FOR OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WHICH WILL UPLIFT OUR HISTORY, CONSIDER OUR FUTURE AND ALSO JUST HAVE FUN! AFTER THE SERVICE WILL INCLUDE CATERED LUNCH BY MISSION BBQ, A BOUNCE HOUSE AND COTTON CANDY. ALL ARE WELCOME!!

Link to readable sermon PDF

This Sunday is the week we choose to honor Mental Health Awareness Month in our congregation. Addressing mental health and addiction issues in the community has been a part of our church’s mission for several years now as a way to love our neighbors and meet them where they really are. In that spirit, today’s sermon addresses a topic that is among the toughest: suicide. Using a story from the book of Acts, we will explore the many ways that this tough topic actually affects all of us and people that the church cares about most. We also take cues from the story about ways that we can show up authentically and lovingly for people who are most affected .

Link to readable sermon PDF

This Sunday marks our annual Youth Sunday, where worship is planned and led largely by members of our youth group. Songs were chosen by them, scriptures will be read by them, a children’s message will be presented by them AND two of our outstanding seniors (Zoe Barbour and Sean Cain) will be preaching the sermon with a theme this year of COURAGE. There will even be a very special video slideshow with photos from another talented senior Maile Peacock. Our church is so lucky to have these kids, and this service is always a favorite! Offerings for the day are directed to their scholarship fund for mission trips and annual retreats.