Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - December 22, 2023

December 22, 2023

Dear Resurrection Family,

Last night was our first Candlelight Christmas Eve Service at Leawood, and I can’t wait for the services this weekend. This truly is one of my favorite times of the year. I’ve been reading and preaching about angels this month, and when I look out at the congregation, faces aglow in the candlelight, I see God’s angels – messengers sharing the light of Christ with the world.

CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

We have an amazing weekend of worship coming up, beginning with services on Saturday evening at Leawood, West, Downtown and Brookside. Then on Sunday we’ll have, a 10 am candlelight service with special elements for children at Leawood, Downtown, Blue Springs, Overland Park, and Brookside. Resurrection West has children’s services at both 9 am and 11 am. On Sunday evening, we’ll have 15 candlelight services across all of our locations. We also have services online and television in Kansas City and Tulsa. (See schedule below.) They will each be amazing and beautiful.

At all the services, we’ll sing carols, have beautiful special music, read the Christmas story from Luke focusing on the angel’s message to the shepherds announcing the birth of Jesus, and pass the candlelight as we sing Silent Night. My Christmas message, which I’m calling “Door Holder #3,” will kick off with a six-year-old in England named Milo, move to Bethlehem where the angels announce to the shepherds “good news of great joy” and “peace on earth,” then to our own community with examples of angels who share “good news of great joy for all people.” We’ll invite you to do the same, and then return to the six-year-old Milo!

If it works with your schedule, you can help make sure that there is room for our guests by attending one of the less crowded services: Saturday night, or Sunday night at 7, 9 or 11 pm.

CAN YOU LOVE ON OUR LITTLEST CHRISTMAS EVE GUESTS?

We still need a few volunteers to help welcome our guests this Christmas Eve. Our greatest need is for nursery volunteers for children four and under. You can sign up here. This is a way to bless our children and their parents. 

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS EVE OFFERING: MOBILE DENTAL CLINIC AND MUCH MORE

This weekend, at all our Candlelight Christmas Eve services, we will take a special offering in honor of the baby born in Bethlehem. This entire special offering will go to fund ministries and projects that benefit children and families – half locally and half through our global partners. This year, one of the local projects will be funding the purchase of a second mobile dental clinic operated by Swope Health. This mobile dental clinic will help meet the overwhelming need for children’s dental care in underserved parts of our city – doubling the number of children they can serve. I’m excited to share more about this in our Christmas Eve services. Here’s the linkif you’d like to give to the Christmas Eve Offering online.

One reminder: if you are fulfilling your commitment to the 2023 ministry fund or capital campaign this weekend, please make sure you note that on your check or offering envelope or give online here, as all undesignated gifts will go to the special Christmas Eve Offering,

JOIN ME FOR VESPERS TUESDAY NIGHT – WE’LL FOCUS ON THE CHRISTMAS STORY

This Tuesday night, join me live on my Facebook page at 7:30 pm. You can also catch it afterward on our YouTube channel the next day.

CHURCH OFFICES CLOSED MONDAY AND TUESDAY

All church buildings will be closed on Monday, Dec. 25, and Tuesday, Dec. 26 for the holiday. If you have a critical pastoral care need, you can call 913-544-0799. The pastor on call will return your page as soon as possible.

WHO DO YOU KNOW WHO NEEDS THE LIGHT OF CHRIST THIS CHRISTMAS?

One of our staff shared two stories with me about people who worshiped with us last night. This is a reminder that we all know someone who needs to experience the hope, peace, love and joy that Christmas brings.

Last night, a woman worshiped with us who had recently lost her father. Candlelight Christmas Eve worship with him was a tradition her entire life. Although she misses him terribly this Christmas, the service brought her peace as she imagines her father singing with the “choir of angels” and experiencing a joy we can only imagine.

Also, worshiping last night was a young man who has been struggling with addiction. His family talked him into coming to the service because he desperately needs to experience the light of Christ and be reminded that even in our darkest places, God is with us.

Invite your friends and family to come to church with you this Christmas Eve, and as you greet others and worship together, remember that you just may be the angel bringing God’s message of hope to someone.