Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - April 3, 2026

April 3, 2026

Dear Resurrection Family,

As I write these words, it is Good Friday. Christ hung on the cross, exhausted, in excruciating pain, being mocked by the crowds, the Romans, the religious leaders and even the other criminals crucified next to him; he hung there from 9 am until he died at 3 pm. Throughout the day, I think about what Jesus said and did on the cross. I’ll stop by the prayer vigil in our Wesley Chapel later today. I’ll walk the prayer walk and reflect upon his final words – I’ll mention them below so you can reflect on them too.

Last night was a powerful evening of worship at all of our locations as we observed Maundy Thursday and the Passion of Christ. It’s often said that you can’t truly experience Christ’s Resurrection without first going to the cross. If you weren’t able to attend last night, I encourage you to join us tonight for Christ’s Passion: His Final Hours at 6:30 pm in the Leawood Foundry Hall (Building B) or online at cor.org/live.

THIS WEEKEND: EASTER!

Our journey through the Final Week of Jesus’ life culminates on Easter with the Resurrection. I usually preach from Luke or John at Easter; they have the most complete account of the Resurrection. But we’ve been following Matthew during the season of Lent, so we’ll turn to Matthew’s account of Easter, and there are details in Matthew that don’t show up in Luke or John. I’m excited to share this weekend’s Easter sermon with you, entitled: He is Risen, Therefore Go! In it, we’ll talk about fear, doubt and the mission Christ gave his disciples after he was raised. Invite a friend to join you.

At certain of our locations and services, we’re likely to be completely full at 9 and 11 am. If you are able to attend one of the alternative times, please do. At West, I will be preaching live at 3 pm on Saturday. I’ll be preaching at Leawood at all sanctuary services. Here’s the link to Easter services.

EASTER WORSHIP TIMES AND LOCATIONS

We should have plenty of seats at our special sunrise 7 am services, and for families, our interactive Easter services on Saturday will feature the same Easter message, along with special elements to engage your children. We will also have 5 pm Saturday evening services at Leawood and West. Each of our services will have beautiful music and an inspiring message of hope.

Here is a reminder of Easter worship times and locations this weekend. You can find time and location details on our website to share with your friends.

Saturday, April 4
Kids’ Interactive Worship Services

10 am at Leawood, Brookside, Spring Hill, Lee’s Summit;

3 pm at West (I’ll be preaching live at that service)
5 pm Worship Services
Leawood (modern music) and West (youth band)
10 am and 5 pm – Online at cor.org/live

Sunday, April 5
7, 9 and 11 am Worship Services
Leawood, West, Blue Springs, Overland Park, Brookside, Spring Hill, Lee’s Summit
9, 11 am Worship
Downtown at Kauffman Center for Performing Arts
10 am Worship
Liberty in Gano Chapel on the William Jewell Campus

Online Worship 7, 9, 11 am at cor.org/live; Online On Demand on YouTube.

Televised Worship in Kansas City on KMCI (8 and 11 am, 1 pm), KSMO (9 am), NBC (11 am, 12 pm), FOX (11 am), and CBS (11:05 pm)

GOOD FRIDAY PRAYER VIGIL TODAY

If you are in the Leawood area and have a few minutes, drop by the Wesley Chapel today between Noon and 3 pm this afternoon for a time of quiet reflection and prayer. Come and go when you can. Every half hour, we’ll have brief scripture readings and devotions. You can also spend time in the prayer walk just south of the main sanctuary, or download this prayer guide for your personal prayer time.

THE LAST WORDS OF JESUS IN ALL FOUR GOSPELS

As I noted above, I always spend time praying through and reflecting upon Jesus seven last statements from the cross on Good Friday. Here they are in one possible order:

1. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew and Mark)
2. Woman, behold your son. Behold your mother. (John, as Jesus, entrusts his mother’s care to his disciple John).
3. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Luke)
4. Today, you will be with me in Paradise. (Luke, to the thief on the cross)
5. I thirst. (John, as Jesus, the “living water,” is dying)
6. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. (John, Jesus prays Psalm 31:5)
7. It is finished! (John)

SPECIAL EASTER OFFERING GRANT SHARES HOPE

Since 2010, Resurrection has been sharing the Easter message of hope with our community in tangible ways. Each year, we award grants from our Easter offering to organizations and ministries of compassion and care in our community. After this Easter, we will have awarded a total of more than $2 million in Easter grants over the years. Recipients this year include a $100,000 grant to Pharmacy of Grace, a Kansas City-area nonprofit that provides prescription medications to uninsured and underinsured individuals and families regardless of ability to pay. Since opening in 2022, Pharmacy of Grace has provided more than 56,000 prescriptions to patients in need, and this year’s grant will help fund the opening of a second location in Shawnee, Kansas, which will serve as the only standalone charitable pharmacy in Johnson County. Your generosity will also support Resurrection ministries such as Recovery, Counseling, and Matthew’s Ministry, as well as critical financial assistance, each offering care, connection, and encouragement to those who need it most. Here’s a link to give online. Thank you for your generosity.

THE RESURRECTION DOESN’T END WITH EASTER

In the 50 days that followed Easter, Jesus appeared before his disciples multiple times as the risen Christ. These powerful stories teach us much about life and faith. We’ll explore these accounts in a two-week study after Easter at each of our locations and online. You can learn more and register here. You can also download a free digital book that invites you to explore how Jesus revealed himself in life-changing ways and continue to offer hope today.

UPDATE ON LEAWOOD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

Work continues on our Generation to Generation capital campaign projects at our Leawood location. The remodeled Student Center is completed, and we’re making good progress on the new chapel. It should be completed by the end of summer, at which time work will begin to convert the current chapel into our new welcome and counseling center. For Easter worship this weekend, the east doors and the walkway in Building B will be open, so that you can park in the Building C parking lots and enter into the Commons and the Foundry from the east.

After Easter, work will begin on a new drop-off area for Matthew’s Ministry. During the approximately one-month construction period, the east exit will be closed to pedestrians, and the roadway between buildings B and C will become a cul-de-sac, with access only from the north. Pedestrians can still walk along the sidewalk next to the basketball courts and enter Building B through the dock doors.

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT SERIES BEGINS APRIL 19

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. Beginning April 19, we’ll explore what Jesus wanted his followers to be and to do in our sermon series, The Sermon on the Mount: Jesus’ Roadmap for Life. Here’s a promo for the series.

EXPLORE RESURRECTION – JOIN THE CHURCH APRIL 19

If you’ve been worshiping with Resurrection and would like to learn more about membership, plan to join us on April 19 (April 21 at West) for Explore Resurrection at one of our locations or online. At Explore Resurrection, we share our church’s history, purpose, and commitment, as well as the beliefs and traditions of the United Methodist Church. Our staff and pastors will 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. Following a short break, those who wish to take the next step can participate in an optional membership ceremony. To learn more and register for Explore Resurrection at your location, click here.

SPECIAL TUESDAY VESPERS THIS WEEK: THE REST OF MATTHEW’S EASTER STORY

I had a significant amount of material for my Easter sermon that I had to cut; there just wasn’t time to share it all. This Tuesday night, I plan to go live on Facebook around 7 pm as a kind of special Tuesday Vespers, sharing this material – these are 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, after Christ’s crucifixion. Follow me on Facebook and plan to join me Tuesday night. It will also be posted to my Podcast on Wednesday or Thursday.

PREPARING FOR EASTER

One of our traditions at Resurrection is to pray over every seat in our worship spaces before our Christmas and Easter services. Yesterday, our pastors and staff spent time praying for all who will worship with us this weekend. As you prepare for Easter, join us in prayer that through music, scripture, and sermon, God will speak to each person who worships with us this weekend. Here are a few photos from Thursday morning at Leawood. You can click to enlarge.

I can’t wait to exchange the traditional Easter greeting of “Christ is Risen!” “He is Risen Indeed!” with you this weekend in worship!

With love,

Adam

Adam Hamilton

Resurrection Senior Pastor

Reverend Adam Hamilton is the senior pastor of Church of the Resurrection and the author of 22 books. He has been married to LaVon since 1982, and she has been a critical partner in every dimension of Adam’s work. They have two daughters and one granddaughter.

Adam’s writings are known for helping readers make sense of challenging theological questions, exploring the significance of the biblical stories, and equipping Christian leaders to be more effective in their work. He earned his MDiv from Perkins School of Theology and graduated with honors from Oral Roberts University with a degree in Pastoral Ministry.

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