This week, we move into one of my personal favorite Dr. Seuss tales: The Sneetches. This short story presents two groups who are identical except for one little thing: stars on their bellies (or not). And this little thing is something they manage to turn into a massive dividing line between who is in and out; a measurement of who counts and who doesn’t; a judgment of who is good and who is bad. And don’t we do the same thing in society now more than ever? Our division and polarization are at an all-time high in America, and just like Sylvester McMonkey McBean who swoops in and makes money off the Sneetches’ infighting, we have no shortage of people in our world who will capitalize on all our division. Yet it discourages us and makes us all worse as people. It is not God’s will for us. So what can we do to stop caring about those darn stars? Where are some points of connection? Join us in the conversation.

And don’t forget that on the main sermon series webpage, there are links to wonderful lists of diverse children’s authors offering supplements or alternatives to all these great Dr. Seuss lessons. They are really worth checking out!

Link to readable sermon PDF

This week, we come to another hugely famous and beloved story by Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat! (Please note a disclaimer about recent discussions about Dr. Seuss’ history and legacy here). Upon publication in 1957, this book was an instant hit and made Dr. Seuss a world-renowned children’s book author, and the Cat himself is arguably Seuss’ most iconic character. After our book from last week (Green Eggs & Ham), this is his second bestselling book of all time, and #9 in the Top Ten Best Selling Children’s Books in the world. So what does this simple story of unexpected chaos have to teach us about our faith journeys? There is more to this story than meets the eye, and we will consider where God is present in this story (and in the chaos of our world) as well as how we handle the messes that are particularly hard to clean up. Join us as we continue this joyful journey!

Link to readable sermon PDF

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