Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - February 7, 2025

Feb. 7, 2025

Dear Resurrection Family,

It’s Super Bowl weekend!!! I’m so excited about the big game! Just a reminder, for those who worship at Leawood, our Sunday night service will be at 4 pm in the sanctuary, over by 5 pm, so you can make it home to watch the game at 5:30 pm. We’re also hosting a Super Bowl party in our Leawood Foundry with free pizza and the game on three huge TVs. And, it’s our Sack Hunger weekend, where we’re competing against United Methodists in Philadelphia to see who collects the most food to alleviate hunger in our communities.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the (in)famous Scopes Monkey Trial that pitted science against scripture and evolution against the Bible. Coinciding with that, Saint Paul School of Theology, located in building C of our Leawood location, is hosting a special travelling exhibition from the Smithsonian Natural History Museum on Human Origins. In light of all of this, my sermon this weekend will focus on Evolution, Adam and Eve. If you have friends who struggle with the relationship between science and faith, invite them to join us. And wear your Chiefs (or Eagles) gear if you are a fan. Again, don’t forget our Leawood Sunday night 5 pm service will be at 4 pm. I’ll be preaching live there as well. Childcare is only for those 4 and under Sunday night. 

Our Recovery Ministry is sponsoring a Super Bowl Party in our Foundry Hall at Leawood starting at 5 pm. There will be free pizza and snacks as well as games, and of course, the Super Bowl will be on on three gigantic screens. This is an alcohol-free party, but feel free to bring your favorite soft drinks. There is no childcare, but children are welcome.

We have challenged United Methodist across Eastern Pennsylvania, where the Philadelphia Eagles reside, to a Sack Hunger Challenge. The great thing is that everyone wins in this Sack Hunger challenge, regardless of the outcome of the Super Bowl! (But we really want to win!) Your gifts benefit people who are struggling with having enough food right here in Kansas City! You can bring your donations to church this weekend (here’s the”First Down” list of items needed) or click here to make a monetary donation that will help us provide fresh meat, dairy, and produce.

Last Sunday afternoon, we had 111 people join Resurrection at our first Coffee with the Pastors/Discover Resurrection gathering of 2025. There were people who attend at six different locations as well as online. It was a wonderful afternoon sharing our stories and getting to know one another. Please take a look at this list so that you can welcome these new members by name.

As always, I am so very proud of you, Resurrection, for your compassion for others.  I just learned that two weeks ago, you have $98,600 to help alleviate suffering and rebuild communities affected by the wildfires in California. I just sent a note to the bishop of the California Pacific Annual Conference to let her know of your prayers and support for the people affected by the fires. I so love you, Resurrection.

As I was working on this eNote J. Dana Trent stopped by to say hello. She is one of our speakers tonight at our Beloved Women’s Conference. She has an amazing story. As a child growing up, her parents used her to traffic drugs when she was in preschool. She ultimately went to seminary at Duke Divinity School (with Pastors Scott, Wendy and Valerie on our team) and was ordained. She teaches Critical Thinking and Comparative Religions at a large community college in North Carolina, and she’ll be talking about her latest book tonight, Between Two Trailers: A Memoir. She’s one of three amazing female speakers you won’t want to miss. LaVon and I will be there tonight and hope you’ll join us!

At our Church Conference Tuesday evening, we voted unanimously to recommend four congregants to move forward in the process of ordination in the United Methodist Church. Leah Barth, Laurian Casson Lytle, Justin Huey and Matt Williams will take the next step to become declared candidates by the District Committee on Ordained Ministry. They join previously declared candidates: Jill Hayes, Katy Nall, Kyle Ray and Tim Shrout, as well as candidates who are certified and in the process of becoming ordained: David Anderson, Tiffany Anderson, Joyce Appel McCarty, Justin Burnett, Debbie Dellinger, Rachel Fetters, Sierra Glaser, Adam Hartley and Leah Swank-Miller. If you are interested in exploring a call to vocational ministry and learning more about the process, we have resources to help you on the journey. Check our Pathways to Ministry on our website here.

Last weekend, the people of the Aldersgate UMC at 350 SW 150 Hwy. in Lee’s Summit voted to join with Church of the Resurrection as we launch a new location in Lee’s Summit this spring. At our Church Conference, our people voted unanimously to receive them as a part of Resurrection. Through a period of discernment, we’ve gotten to know this congregation and their staff, and we believe that this will be an amazing opportunity to reach people for Christ in the Lee’s Summit area. Aldersgate will officially close later this spring, and we will launch Resurrection Lee’s Summit together. We’re still planning on launching Resurrection Lee’s Summit at John Knox Pavillion Palm Sunday and then begin meeting at the former Aldersgate location in the fall. If you live in Lee’s Summit or have friends who do, you can get more information here.

Join us this February as Church of the Resurrection continues its life-saving legacy of blood donation. For over 30 years, our congregation has been the Kansas City area’s largest blood drive partner, helping collect more than 60,000 units of blood to serve our neighbors in need. Thanks to recent changes at the Community Blood Center, more people than ever are now eligible to donate. Your single donation can save up to three lives, making this simple act of generosity one of the most impactful ways to serve our community. Be part of this powerful ministry of healing by signing up for one of our February blood drives (Feb. 17 and 18 at Leawood, Feb. 20 at Blue Springs and Overland Park, Feb. 24 at West and Spring Hill, Feb. 25 at West and Downtown, and Feb. 26 at Brookside. Together, we can ensure that vital blood products are available when our neighbors need them most. All donors presenting at Resurrection will receive a free Chiefs T-shirt. For a full list of locations and times and to sign up, click here.

Don’t put off registering to join me for the Resurrection Men’s Friday evening, Feb. 28 and Saturday morning, Mar. 1. Whether you’re seeking spiritual growth, leadership insights, or meaningful connections, this dynamic two-day conference combines powerful messages from dynamic speakers with unique experiences – from BBQ and competitive tournaments to axe throwing in our transformed Foundry space. You can attend in person at Resurrection Leawood or Online. Check out the website and register today.

This Tuesday, I have a special guest on my podcast, Kansas City legend Herb Kohn. Herb is a highly respected attorney who started his own mediation business after retiring. His parents escaped the Holocaust, though his grandfather was killed in Auschwitz. He’ll share some of that story and more in my podcast this week. The closing story and his grandfather’s last love letter to his grandmother, written shortly before he was killed by the Nazi’s, seemed a fitting podcast for Valentine’s week. This new episode drops on Tuesday. Watch or listen to my podcast, Making Sense of Faith, here.

Resurrection, I’m grateful for you, and so honored to serve as your pastor.

Go Chiefs!

Adam