Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - April 10, 2026

April 10, 2026

Dear Resurrection Family,

What an amazing Easter weekend of worship! Thank you for the way you welcomed our many guests and one another to Easter worship. Our in-person attendance was up 703 from last year, with a total of 22,789. We don’t yet have our online and TV attendance numbers yet, but we will share the total next week. Last year, these accounted for over 100,000 additional people who joined us for Easter worship. Again, thanks to all who served to make Easter possible at Resurrection!

I also want to thank you for your generosity in the Easter offering. The first $100,000 will support the new location of Pharmacy of Grace, a nonprofit founded by Resurrection members that provides prescription medications to uninsured and underinsured people, or those who struggle to pay their co-pays. The rest of the Easter offering this year is helping provide care, connection, and encouragement to those who need it most through Resurrection care ministries, including our recovery ministries, our dozens of support groups, our pastoral care and counseling, Matthew’s Ministry, as well as critical financial assistance to people in need.

THIS WEEKEND – RESURRECTION STORIES: ORDINARY EVERYDAY ENCOUNTERS 

The Resurrection doesn’t end with Easter. In many ways, it is just the beginning. This weekend, we’ll examine Jesus’ appearances to his disciples and others over the 50 days after Easter. As these “Resurrection Stories” assured Jesus’ followers of his life-saving power and presence, what might they teach us about encountering the risen Christ – something we have the opportunity to experience through ordinary, everyday encounters with others. This weekend, Pastor Scott Chrostek will share the message at Leawood, online, on television, and our location pastors at their respective locations.

RESURRECTION STORIES TWO-WEEK STUDY STARTS THIS WEEK

Following this weekend’s sermon, plan to join us during the week for a study exploring more powerful accounts of what happened after Jesus’ Resurrection, when he appeared to his disciples multiple times. These Resurrection stories teach us much about life and faith. This two-week study is offered at various times at each of our locations and online. You can learn more and register here. You can also download a free digital book that looks at how Jesus reveals himself in life-changing ways and continues to offer hope today.

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT SERIES BEGINS IN WORSHIP NEXT WEEKEND

I will be returning to the pulpit on April​ 19 to begin a sermon series we’re calling The Sermon on the Mount: Jesus’ Roadmap for Life. The Sermon on the Mount has been described as “the heart of Jesus’ teaching” and a “roadmap for daily life.” It’s not an easy path, but one that leads us to a life of purpose, joy and peace. Plan to join us and bring a friend as we explore what Jesus wanted his followers to be and to do in this series. Here’s a promo for the series.

INTERESTED IN MEMBERSHIP AT RESURRECTION? JOIN US APRIL​ 19

Have you been worshiping with Resurrection but haven’t joined the church yet? I’d love to invite you to join me and our other pastors for Explore Resurrection at any of our locations next​ Sunday​ afternoon, April​ 19 (April​ 21 for Resurrection West). Explore Resurrection is an inspiring gathering at which we share our church’s story, our beliefs as Christians and as United Methodists, and what it means to be a member of the church. Our staff and pastors also share more about our ministries and answer your questions in this casual gathering. You’ll connect with fellow worshipers and discover opportunities to serve, connect, and grow. At the close of the gathering, there is a brief but meaningful joining ceremony for those who decide they are ready to make Resurrection your church family. To learn more and register for Explore Resurrection at your location, click here.

CHILDREN’S MUSICAL AT LEAWOOD APRIL​ 17

Next​ Friday​, April​ 17, our Kids Choir is putting on their spring musical at 6​:15​ pm; in the Leawood Sanctuary. Called The Fab 4, this high-energy musical follows a band on a mission to tell the story of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) through original music, everything from country to rap, and some genuinely funny moments along the way. It will be a fun evening for the entire family, and a great way to support the kids’ choir that has worked hard to put this together. Family-friendly pre-show activities will begin at 5​ pm, including folk dancing, crafts, and a serve opportunity benefiting the Resurrection Overland Park Food Pantry.

SERVE SATURDAY​, APRIL​ 18

Put your faith in action by serving in the community on the third Saturday of every month. Learn more about making a positive impact in the community, try something new, and help others by becoming God’s hands and feet in the Kansas City metro. You can select a serve opportunity and sign up here. For those of you outside the Kansas City area, I encourage you to find ways to serve in your community once a month as a meaningful way to live out your faith.

LOVE HISTORY AND HYMNS? CHARLES WESLEY’S ROLE IN EARLY METHODISM

John Wesley is most often associated with the founding and history of Methodism, but his brother Charles also played a pivotal role. Many know that Charles wrote 6,500 hymns, many of which we still sing today (last weekend we sang his Christ the Lord is Risen Today!), but his contribution went much deeper. On Tuesday​, April​ 28 at 6​:30​ pm, I will have a conversation with historian David Worthington exploring Charles Wesley’s role in the rise of Methodism. David has spent two decades as the Global Ambassador of Methodist Heritage Sites for The United Methodist Church. Some of you heard him speak at the New Room in Bristol, England, on our Wesley trips. Join me in the Leawood Foundry or Online for this enlightening presentation exploring our Wesleyan roots. You can register here.

MAKING SENSE OF FAITH PODCAST: THE REST OF MATTHEW’S EASTER STORY

On Tuesday​ evening, I shared Vespers on Facebook with some of my Easter sermon material that I had to cut from the Easter sermon for time. I focused on some of the details in Matthew’s account of the crucifixion and Easter story that do not appear in the other gospels, including the only material in all the gospels concerning what happened on Saturday. If you missed it, we repurposed the recording into an episode of my Making Sense of Faith podcast, which you can watch here.