Introducing Our New Executive Director: Rev. Dr. Anne Gatobu

Dear Resurrection Family,

Tomorrow is the first day of Spring, but it feels like it’s arrived today! Vaccines are reaching an increasing number of people. We’re not out of the woods yet, but we can imagine the day on the horizon. And Easter is just two weeks away. Last weekend we restarted in-person worship and it was terrific to be back together.

This Weekend: Jesus Loves Me This I Know

Did you know that a 2018 Harvard study that followed thousands of children over a period of years into their adulthood found that weekly church attendance as children had a long-term positive impact on these kids as adults? Greater life satisfaction, willingness to give and receive forgiveness, a stronger sense of meaning and more.

I’ll share this study and more this weekend as we turn to Mark 9:33-10:52 where we find Mark includes three separate passages containing Jesus’ words about, and ministry with, children. The sermon is entitled, “Jesus Loves Me This I Know,” a song we learned as children that was drawn from these passages in Mark.

Worship with Us Online or In Person

We have multiple ways you can worship with us this weekend. Join us in person at any of our campuses at 9 or 11 am. We have plenty of seating, even with social distancing and safety protocols. We’re following county guidelines, and as more and more people are vaccinated the protocols will be relaxed, but I’m proud of our team’s work at each location aimed at reducing the risk of contracting COVID while on our campuses.

We’ll continue to offer worship on KMCI (Channel 38) at 8 and 11 am. That service has less music, since we are required to fit into a 59 minute time slot, and it is our modern service that includes both new music and traditional hymns with a modern beat. This is a great service to invite your Kansas City friends to check out. To find KMCI on your cable provider click here. 25,000 to 30,000 people join us each weekend for worship on TV.

Our online worship is still the best way to experience our complete service and to interact with us during worship. At cor.org/live we offer the option of a beautiful traditional service and an inspiring modern service – the sermon is the same at both. The service includes two additional songs and is terrific. We record both of these services in advance and design and lead them just for online and TV. Our attendance online is roughly evenly split between traditional and modern. These services are played Saturday at 5 pm, Sunday at 7:30, 9, 11 am and 5 pm. 8,000 to 9,000 people join us each weekend for worship online.

You can also access our worship service via our YouTube channel starting Saturday night at 5 pm and YouTube has the advantage of allowing you to worship anytime after the Saturday service begins – if you want to worship at 10 pm Saturday night, or 8 am on Sunday, or 2 pm Sunday afternoon – worship is “on demand.” Over 1,000 people join us each week on YouTube.

Finally, you can stream our worship to your smart TV via Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire or Google TV. To find the channel search for “Resurrection Online” and look for our cross and flame logo against a blue background.

Regardless of when you worship, be sure to sign in by going to cor.org/next or by clicking here. It helps us to know that you are joining us for worship.

New Executive Director Named to Resurrection Staff

Over the last year we’ve been developing a new staff structure aimed at helping us prepare to capitalize on the opportunities ahead in the next decade. We’re looking at ways to foster greater creativity, collaboration and effectiveness across all of our campuses and to capitalize on the opportunities and visions we set out in our 2030 Vision.

One of these positions is the Executive Director of Locations and Pastoral Care. This person will support our five current locations in Kansas City and help work across campuses to support our congregational care. They will also lead the effort to fulfill our vision of launching five additional locations of Church of the Resurrection. In addition, they will support the work of congregational care and those leading this effort across campuses.

This week, after a national search, we have named the person we believe God is calling to this position on our senior staff. The Rev. Dr. Anne Gatobu has accepted the invitation to join our team in this role. She is currently serving as our District Superintendent in the Kansas City District. In that role she played a pivotal part in the launch of Resurrection Overland Park. She’s also helped launch a new United Methodist ministry in Kansas City, Kansas, The Hub, that we are a part of. Dr. Gatobu grew up in Kenya but came to the United States 27 years ago. She has a PhD in Psychology and Religion from the University of Denver, a Master of Arts in Counseling and a Master of Divinity. Previously she served as the Dean of Practical Theology at Asbury Theological Seminary where she was also the Associate Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling. She’s written three books in field of pastoral care.

She brings so many gifts to our senior team and I’m really excited to have her join us. I filmed a short video with her to introduce her to our team this week. You can watch it here. Dr. Gatobu begins her work with us July 1.

A Few Spots Still Available for Serve Saturday Tomorrow, March 20

It’s going to be a beautiful weekend to get out and serve in the community! Check out the opportunities that still have open spots and register here.

Serve Saturday, from 9 am – noon, offers COVID-safe projects for individuals and families to serve our ministry partners in the community. If you’re looking for other ways to serve, beyond Serve Saturdays, go to cor.org/localimpact.

Easter Egg-Ventures at all Locations on March 27

Resurrection’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt is a fun tradition that we had to cancel last year, but we are excited to have Easter Egg-Ventures this year! Each location has their own spin on these outdoor, socially-distanced Easter egg hunts, so take a look at the links below to find out more. Invite your friends and neighbors to join us!

• Leawood: 11 am – 1 pm. See details.
• West (Olathe): 2–5 pm. See details.
• Downtown: 9–11 am. See details.
• Blue Springs: 9 am – noon. See details.
• Overland Park: 10 am – noon. See details.

Registration Required for In-Person Easter Worship

We will have online, televised and in-person worship on Easter. If you are ready for in-person worship, we will have services at each of our locations at 7 am, 9 am and 11 am on Sunday, April 4. To ensure physical distancing, we have a limited capacity, so reservations are required using this link. Masks are required, and safety measures like touchless services and smaller music groups are in place to ensure your safety. Care for children 2 and under is available during services with a child reservation online.

Easter Worship Services Online

Beautiful worship services with inspiring music and the same Easter message will be live streamed at cor.org/live at our regular times on Saturday, April 3, at 5 pm and Sunday, April 4, at 7:30 am, 9 am 11 am and 5 pm. We will broadcast on KMCI Channel 38 on Sunday, April 4, at our regular 8 am and 11 am times, and will be adding another service at 2 pm. Services are also available on the Resurrection YouTube channel and through the Roku, Apple, Google and Amazon streaming services on your smart TV.

Several weeks ago, I invited you to be aware of, and looking for ways to counter, harassment of Asian Americans. We don’t know all the details in the shootings in Atlanta. We do know the shooter indicated he sought to eliminate sexual “temptation” by killing women who worked in the spas he attacked. Did the fact that most of his targets were Asian contribute to his willingness to attack and kill them? I don’t know. But what I do know is that for many Asian Americans this raises fears regarding anti-Asian racism.

I want to continue to encourage you to be people who speak up, stand with and befriend those who are harassed in our society. I want all of us to listen to others, to hear their experiences and to be advocates as we seek to follow Jesus and advance his Kingdom.

See you this weekend, in person, online or on the air!

Adam