I’ve been re-reading my Christian history this weekend and delving into the meaning of Greek words I hadn’t looked at in years in preparation for this weekend’s sermon, the first of two, on the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed is considered by the vast majority of Christian churches to be the very definition of orthodox Christian faith.
1700 years ago, conflict was brewing within the Church over the question of precisely how, and in what sense, Jesus was divine. We’re summarizing the question as, Is Jesus God? but the conflict was in some ways more nuanced than that. Hoping to unify Christians, Emperor Constantine I, who himself had recently embraced the Christian faith, convened a gathering of as many as 318 bishops to come to a consensus. They met from May to July of 325, and by the end of the Nicene Council they hammered out the Nicene Creed (which would be revised 56 years later into the creed as we have it today).
Why should we care about this? What can we learn from their conflict? What difference does it make if we believe that Jesus was, as the Creed says, “God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, begotten not made, of one being with the Father”? Join us this weekend and find out!
SUMMER INTERNS JOIN RESURRECTION STAFF
Each summer, we invest in cultivating the next generation of Christian leaders through our internship program. These outstanding young people will be serving alongside Resurrection staff in a variety of positions across our locations. We are grateful for their interest in exploring ministry, and I hope you’ll join in welcoming and encouraging them. This week, the group toured all of our locations. Below is a photo of the 12 interns along with their mentors, Bill Gepford and Michelle Kirby, at the Resurrection Blue Springs stop. I met with them briefly this week – they are an AMAZING group of young adults.
FORGIVENESS STUDY THIS MONTH
As a follow-up to our Forgiveness Sermon Series, we are offering a churchwide study to help you go deeper into what scripture teaches about seeking, extending and accepting forgiveness. With biblical guidance and practical wisdom, this study can help you experience the healing and freedom that comes through forgiveness. You can join this study at one of our locations or online at a variety of dates and times, which are all listed
here, along with the registration links. Several locations and online begin on Wednesday, June 4, so
register today.
STUDENT MINISTRY KICKOFF JUNE 1
If you are a student in grades 6 – 12, don’t forget we’re kicking off our summer student ministry with a cookout on Sunday at 5 pm. We actually have two locations – Lake Olathe Beaver Shelter for students at Resurrection locations on the Kansas side, and Lake Jacomo Shelter for students from Missouri locations. Enjoy food, fun and get to know students from across the metro. You can learn about this cookout as well as other fun summer opportunities here.
SPECIAL BAPTISM SERVICE AT LEAWOOD JUNE 22
If you have never been baptized and would like to be, we will have a special baptism service on Sunday, June 22, at 2 pm. We’re offering two options for this special celebration – gentle sprinkle baptisms in Wesley Chapel or full immersion baptisms in the Memorial Garden of Building C. Whether you’re taking your first step in faith or recommitting to your spiritual journey, everyone is welcome to participate in or witness this meaningful moment of renewal and community. You can register here. You also always have the option of scheduling a baptism at the location where you worship. You can learn more here and complete this form.
JOIN THE SCHOOL MAKEOVER JUNE 18-27
Every summer we have a special opportunity to serve our community by working together in our partner schools to create environments where every student will feel welcome and inspired to learn. This year, the School Makeover is from June 18 through June 27, and we will bless both the Woodland Early Education Center, one of our partner pre-Ks, as well as the Global Academy, a special program in the Kansas City, MO school district, that provides support for students transitioning to school and life in Kansas City.
Over ten days, we’ll be painting, cleaning, repairing, and revitalizing all of their learning spaces. No special skills are needed, just show up with a willingness to make a difference. This is also a great way to serve, and kids 12 and up are welcome to participate as well! We’re looking to get more than 500 volunteers for this summer project that will help us close the opportunity gap for so many kids in this community. I want to encourage you to gather your family, friends, or coworkers and sign up for a shift. If you’re a business owner or leader, consider this project as a team-building activity and an opportunity to share what your church is doing in the community with your employees. You can sign up here.
DON’T MISS RESURRECTION NIGHT AT THE ROYALS GAME JUNE 27
I just purchased my tickets for Resurrection night at the K, and I look forward to seeing many of you there! There will be fireworks that night as well. Tickets are going fast, so get yours here today for Resurrection Night at the K on Friday, June 27, at 7:10 pm when the Kansas City Royals take on the Los Angeles Dodgers at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals are having a great season, and we hope to see a huge Resurrection crowd from all our locations. When you arrive, look for Gate A, where we’ll have a Resurrection table nearby to pick up a special gift and scan a QR code to enter a drawing for a signed Bobby Witt, Jr. baseball!
FALL FAMILY RETREAT OCT. 10-12
It’s not too early to start finalizing plans for this year’s Fall Family Retreat at Big Cedar Resort. This retreat at Big Cedar Resort, Oct. 10-12, will bring families together for outdoor fellowship and meaningful ways to grow in relationships and faith. Spots are limited, so sign up here today to step away from the routine with your family to experience the perfect combination of outdoor adventure and community connection.
THIS WEEK’S PODCAST: RUN TOWARD FAITH
This week on my podcast, Making Sense of Faith, I sit down with leadership expert Tommy Spaulding, former CEO of Up With People, for an honest conversation about forgiveness, influence and what it really means to follow Jesus in leadership. This episode challenges what we think we know about success and servant leadership. You can listen to or watch the podcast by clicking here.
RESURRECTION STATEMENT OF BELONGING
Earlier this year, Resurrection’s elected leadership developed a statement that was then adopted by the Church Council to guide how we as a community will reflect Christ’s love to all people. We call this “God’s Open Table – A Statement of Belonging.” We recently shared this at our Church Conference, and with all our pastors and staff, and I want to share it with you. I’m grateful for the thoughtful work that went into this statement, and for the way it inspires each of us to reflect the love of Christ to all people. You will find the statement on our website as well as a video here in which Rev. Cheryl Jefferson Bell, Resurrection’s Community Justice Pastor, shares a reflection on belonging. Here is the statement:
God’s Open Table – A Statement of Belonging
Resurrection is committed to reflect the LOVE of Christ by fostering a community where ALL people—including but not limited to age, race, gender, sexuality, identity, ability, background, nationality, and socioeconomic level —are valued, respected, and treated with dignity.
We recognize and celebrate that each individual is of sacred worth, created in the image of God and belongs here.
We aspire to create a culture that embraces each person’s uniqueness and ensures authentic, equitable opportunity at all levels of engagement, service, and leadership.
We pursue justice, extend compassion, provide transformative education, and continue to build a Christian community where all can thrive in the fellowship of Christ.
I’m grateful for the team that wrote the statement and for the Church Council’s thoughtful reflections on it. The aim was to reflect our commitment as followers of Christ to welcome, value and include all people as we build a Christian community where non-religious and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians. I’m proud that this is the church you are.
In Christ’s love,
Adam