Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - April 21, 2023

THIS WEEKEND IN WORSHIP: WHY? GOD, SUFFERING AND HOPE

Suffering and tragedy are a daily occurrence in our world. We see it daily on the news, and at times, we experience it personally in our lives. I sat with a woman in our congregation this week whose adult daughter was murdered last Sunday, and with three different families who had lost children to suicide over the last few years. One man expressed what many feel. In the darkest place, “I nearly lost my faith.”

When I speak to atheists and agnostics, the most frequently cited reason they tell me for their turning from faith is the issue of suffering. Most of us will have moments when we find ourselves asking God, “Why?” You may be struggling with this question right now, or you have friends who wrestle with reconciling the idea of a good and loving God with the tragedies in our world.

This weekend we kick off a four-week series of messages entitled, Why? God, Suffering and Hope. In this week’s message, we’ll begin looking at some wrong answers Christians sometimes give to the question of why. We’ll then consider three types of suffering and a better answer to the why question. Then, we’ll look at God’s response to human suffering, a response that gives our lives meaning and hope.

Who do you know who needs to hear this message? Many of you received a letter from me and invitation cards for you to share with a friend. Reach out to those who might be helped by this sermon series and invite them to join you. Here’s the 30-second video promo about the series that you can share on social media or email to a friend: CLICK HERE to watch and share.

DO YOU LISTEN TO PODCASTS? 

Did you know that you can listen to Resurrection sermons on our podcast? We recently made some updates and relaunched the podcast with the title: Resurrection, A United Methodist Church. You can download the podcast through Apple and Spotify now, and soon on Google also. This sermon series would be a good one to share with a friend who is struggling with questions, but might not be ready to come to church.

EARTH DAY TOMORROW, APRIL 22

Tomorrow is Earth Day, a day set aside annually to encourage people to think about the role we can each play in caring for our planet. Did you know that the very first command God gave to humans was to be fruitful, to multiply, and to rule over the earth – in essence to act as stewards of God’s creation? (Genesis 1:26-31) This year’s Earth Day theme is “Invest in Our Planet,” and the website EarthDay.org has resources to help you learn more and get involved at the local, national and global levels. Why not have a conversation with your family and friends about this this weekend? What can you do to heal and care for the earth? The United Methodist Church also has a variety of resources on its Creation Care site. At Resurrection, we have an environmental ministry that you can learn about here. We can all do something to care for the earth, and to advocate on its behalf.

RESURRECTION LAUNCHES COMMUNITY GARDEN

I’m excited to invite you to come out and celebrate and join the fun in our new Community Justice initiative, The Giving Garden! The Giving Garden will provide fresh, organic produce for our Overland Park Food Pantry and Food Mobile. We’ll open the garden on Saturday, April 29, at 10 am at 32400 W. 127th St. in Olathe. We’ll have a short blessing of the garden and then get to work planting. There will be ongoing opportunities to help work in the garden. No gardening experience necessary, and this is a great opportunity for the entire family. All are welcome in the garden, please sign up to volunteer. CLICK HERE to register.

INTERESTED IN MEMBERSHIP? COFFEE WITH THE PASTORS MAY 7

Are you interested in becoming a member of Resurrection? Join me and our other pastors for Coffee with the Pastors, where you’ll learn more about the church, get to know our pastors and staff, find out what it means to be a follower of Christ, and learn about our membership expectations. Coffee with the Pastors is an inspiring event that will be held at all six of our locations and online via Zoom from 2 to 4 pm on Sunday, May 7. CLICK HERE for more information and to register.

GLOBAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT AUGUST 3-4

As you begin making summer plans, consider attending the Global Leadership Summit August 3-4 at Resurrection Leawood. The two-day conference is designed to help you push your boundaries as a leader, and maximize your influence to create a better world. CLICK HERE to visit the website to see the great lineup of speakers and register.  If Resurrection is your church home, use this code for our special pricing (23PHSHOST). Through May 3, early bird registration is just $139.

EASTER WORSHIP

For those who like to follow the numbers, I just received the final attendance numbers for Easter worship at all of our locations, online and television. We had 19,404 people worship with us in person at our six locations. We had another 13,454 join us online and 44,221 on television here in Kansas City, with another 18,776 who worshiped with us on television in Tulsa. We are testing the Tulsa area because our research has shown that this is a community where there are folks who already worship with us online and where some who are unchurched might resonate with our message. Total who worshiped with us for Easter in person, online and television: 95,855.

RESURRECTION CAR SHOW 20TH ANNIVERSARY

Mark your calendar for one of my favorite events of the year – the Resurrection Car Show on June 10. This is the 20th anniversary of this free event that features lots of great cars, food and fun for everyone. CLICK HERE to visit the website with more details and where you can sign up to show your car, volunteer or sponsor the event. The Car Show benefits Resurrection’s Hunger Relief and Car Repair ministries.

JOIN ME THIS TUESDAY FOR AN EVENING OF QUESTIONS