Continuing Our Study of Romans

Dear Resurrection Family,

This week most of our children at Resurrection started back to school. My granddaughter, Stella, began second grade in Lawrence. Our kids sent a picture of her with her new dress and school supplies standing in front of her school that morning. The beginning of a new school year is full of possibilities, a new beginning and a chance to meet new friends, to learn new things, and, though I didn’t think of it this way as a kid, the chance to mature and grow.

That’s how I see the fall at Resurrection, too. Regardless of your age, each fall is a chance to begin anew – to make new friends, to learn new things and to grow as a person and as a follower of Christ. Don’t miss the chance renew your commitment to Christ, grow deeper in your faith, reconnect with others and live your faith joyfully as you serve God and others!

THIS WEEKEND IN WORSHIP – “RECEIVING A VERY COSTLY GIFT”

This weekend we’ll continue to our study of Romans: The Gospel According to Paul. We’ll focus this weekend on Romans 4-6 (and the last verses of Romans 3), as we turn to the central most important insight Paul offers to the Christian faith – the insight that transformed his life, and the lives of people like Augustine, Luther and Wesley. The sermon title is Receiving a Very Costly Gift. In the message we’ll consider a question I’m often asked, “How does Jesus’ death save anyone?” But the sermon will also focus on the power of God’s love and grace and how we live in response to that love and grace. Here’s our memory verse for the coming week: God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

I’ll also be telling the story of French policeman whose story captivated a nation, providing an update on the boreholes (wells) you’ve funded in Malawi, and sharing the story of a little boy in our congregation who died last December, but whose life continues to make a ripple. Don’t miss worship this weekend! And don’t forget to bring your Bible! Invite a friend to join you for worship, in-person worship Sundays 9 or 11 am, at any of our locations, at Sundays 5 pm at Leawood, online at cor.org or on television at KMCI this. Click here for our physical locations or for information about joining us online or on television.

MEMORY VERSE SCREEN SAVERS

Each week, I’m challenging you to memorize a verse from Romans. How are you doing? We have created screen savers with each week’s verse that you can download to you phone to help you remember. This has been really helpful to me – every time I turn on my phone I see the memory verses. Last week’s verse you can see here on my phone. Download this week’s verse at cor.org/next.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN THE MIDWEEK ROMANS STUDY

In addition to the weekend message, we’re inviting you to read the Book of Romans on your own, and to consider joining a study of Romans with others. My small group, after being off for the summer (and a bit before) began meeting by Zoom to discuss Romans. It was great be be back together again and discussing this important letter. Though I’m studying and preparing the sermons, there were insights I gained from hearing other people’s reflections on Romans that were meaningful to me.Not in a small group? Consider joining us for our church-wide study at one of our five locations. West meets on Tuesday nights, the rest of our campuses meet on Wednesdays. I was at the gathering at Leawood and Pastor Wendy did a great job leading 150 of us gathered in the Foundry Hall. Sitting around tables, people had the opportunity to discuss the weekly readings and the insights from the sermons and Wendy’s talk. It was terrific. If you are ready to grow deeper and make new friends, join us on Tuesday (West) or Wednesday nights (Leawood, Downtown, Blue Springs and Overland Park).

Sign Up for the Romans Study Now →

INTERESTED IN MEMBERSHIP WITH RESURRECTION?

If you have been worshiping with us and think that you may want to take the next step to become a member, I want to invite you to join us for Coffee with the Pastors online next Sunday, August 29, from 2-4 pm. We’ll provide the link to a Zoom call where you can join us to learn about the history of Resurrection, the beliefs and traditions of the United Methodist Church, and get to know the church a bit better. We’ll also break into groups where you will also connect with fellow Resurrection worshipers, meet some of our pastors and staff, and hear about opportunities to serve, connect and grow!

Register Now →

DISASTER RESPONSE FOR HAITI

Last week a 7.2-magnitude earthquake rocked southwestern Haiti, leaving more than two thousand dead and tens of thousands of people injured and/or homeless, creating critical medical, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene needs. Among the hardest hit areas are two cities we’ve been partnering with Les Cayes and Jeremie. Resurrection is partnering with Heart to Heart International to provide mobile medical teams and the United Methodist Church in Haiti to send critical first aid supplies, water filters/buckets, and food to the region.

We are in discussions with other organizations that are on the ground in Haiti providing relief to see how we can help. We’ll keep you updated and post the latest information on our website. Right now, financial donations are the best way to provide assistance.

Make a disaster relief donation →

SERVE SATURDAY AND CLOTHING DROP OFF TOMORROW, AUGUST 21

We still have opportunities open for you to serve in the community in a variety of ways tomorrow. I was just looking over the openings – there are one or two openings left at several serve locations, but I noticed that there are still ten openings to help clear out classroom space to make room for a school at the Independence Avenue Christian Church at Gladstone and Independence Avenue. It’s simple sign up, just go to the registration site and pick the place you want to serve. Here’s the registration link.

We will also be collecting new and gently used clothing for men, women and children, and picture and chapter books for elementary students at all of our locations between 9-11 am on Saturday. Just pull up to the designated spots and volunteers will unload it for you. Our Clothing team will distribute the donations to local clothing pantries and shelters, and our Partner Schools team will distribute the books on the Bookmobile. Clothes include children’s clothes, prom dresses and suits, and more. Click the link for a complete list of both clothing items and books needed.

BLOOD DRIVES AT RESURRECTION LOCATIONS THIS WEEK

We have blood drives coming up at three of our locations (Overland Park already had a blood drive). Walk-ins are welcome, but you can save waiting time by making an appointment. Learn about donating at cor.org/blooddrive, and to make an appointment, just click on the date below. If you live outside the Kansas City area, check with your local community blood center to see where you can love your neighbor in a tangible way by donating a pint of life-saving blood.

• Leawood, Building B: August 23 and 24, 8 am – 8 pm
• Blue Springs: August 26, 2:30 pm
• West: August 30, 10 am

HABITAT SPONSORS INTERFAITH VIRTUAL PANEL ON BUiLDING COMMUNITY ON WEDNESDAY

Did you know there are more than 13,000 families in Kansas City struggling to find affordable housing, and the number is rising. Resurrection partners with Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City to help families build, rehab or purchase their own affordable homes. I want to invite you to join an important panel discussion sponsored by Habitat for Humanity on Wednesday, August 25, from 2-3 pm. “Building Community, An Interfaith Virtual Panel” is a conversation with leaders from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities who work each day to build a better, more inclusive, Kansas City community. Here is the link to register.

This conversation stems from Habitat’s House of Abraham construction projects which brings faith communities together to build relationships that promote dialogue and cooperation while fulfilling the mission of constructing a home. Resurrection’s Construction Ministry has worked on several House of Abraham projects.

The panel is moderated Rev. Kelly Isola, Chair of the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council, panelists include Dr. Sofia Khan, Founder of KC for Refugees and Chair of the Islamic Center of Johnson County Interfaith Committee, Saleem Rasheed, Media and Communications Director for Al Inshirah Islamic Center, Rabbi Doug Alpert, Congregation Kol Ami, Rev. Cheryl Jefferson Bell, Church of the Resurrection’s Pastor of Community Justice and Rosa Fregoso, a future Habitat KC homeowner.

TUESDAY NIGHT VESPERS

Join me this Tuesday night for Vespers and bring your Bible. Each week as I prepare my sermons there is always more material than I can include – particularly when I’m covering two to three chapters from Romans in each sermon. I’ll be coming to you live from my back porch in Stilwell as I share a few insights from Romans 4-6. You can join me at 7:30 pm Central Time on my Facebook page: Pastor Adam Hamilton on Facebook. You’ll also be able to view it on my Facebook page or the church’s YouTube page after Tuesday night.

PRAYING FOR AFGANISTAN

There are times I don’t know what to pray. I’ve felt that way this week as I’ve watched the news out of Afganistan. There are moments when I have hope that the Taliban have changed, moderated, and that they mean what they say when they promise rights for women and that they seek peace and not retribution against their enemies. There are bits of news out of Afganistan that would support this view yet other news stories out of Afganistan that do not. Like many of you, I feel great concern for those who worked with our troops and what will happen to them. PBS has a relatively brief timeline of Afganistan’s history you can read here. Join me in praying for the people of Afganistan, and international leaders there and here, for God’s Spirit to guide all involved towards a path that makes for peace with justice.

With love,

Adam