Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - August 9, 2024

August 9, 2024

Dear Resurrection Family,

I’m writing this from a retreat center outside of Warsaw, Poland, where ten of our youth from several of our locations, as well as staff and volunteers, and LaVon and me, are teaching and leading a retreat with the Polish and Ukrainian United Methodist Church. We have over 300 children, youth and adults and it’s been amazing. Our hope is to encourage and bless these fellow United Methodists, while at the same time learning and growing in our faith.

Two years ago when I was in Poland with a small group looking at how we could support the Ukrainian and Polish United Methodist churches in the midst of the war, I felt God placing this vision on my heart of coming back with a group of youth, investing in them, taking them to Auschwitz and helping them be a part of leading and blessing youth and children from Poland and Ukraine. This is what our Generation to Generation vision is all about.

We’ve put together a 4-minute video that will be shared in worship this weekend, during which we’ll take you to Auschwitz. You’ll also see our students in action here at the retreat. I’m so proud of these students, and we have hundreds more just like them in our youth ministry across all our locations.

We finish the retreat tomorrow, and the students will be back Sunday night, LaVon and I get back Monday night.

Okay, here’s what’s coming up at Resurrection this weekend and beyond.

THIS WEEKEND: JESUS AND THE NEXT GENERATION

If you want to be encouraged about the future, you won’t want to miss worship this weekend. Worship will be led by some of our amazing students and student ministry leaders. We’ll be focusing on our student ministries and how we can support and encourage these amazing young people who will be leading us into the future and changing the world. Pastor Scott Chrostek will be preaching in the Leawood Sanctuary and Wesley Chapel and on television and online; and Todd Davidson, Student Ministry Program Director, will be preaching in the Leawood Foundry. Pastor Wendy Lyons Chrostek will preach at Brookside; Pastor Bill Gepford at West; Nick Kaufmann Mamisashvili, Connection and Care Pastor, at Downtown; Student Ministry directors Alex Duvall at Blue Springs; and Leah Swank Miller at Overland Park. I’ll also share via video what some of our students have been doing on our serve trip in Poland.

This will be a great time to invite friends, family and co-workers who have children and teens to join you for worship. Here’s a link to a commercial we have created to invite students to Resurrection. Share it with the teens and families you know. If you are in town, plan to worship in person, and if you are traveling or out of town, join us in worshiping online.

FALL KICKOFF NEXT WEEKEND WITH CAR SHOW, SERVE SATURDAY AND WORSHIP

I’ve enjoyed my time away, but I’m really excited to get back to Kansas City and Resurrection for our Fall Kick-off next weekend, Aug. 17 and 18. Here are a few of the highlights to look forward to:

Annual Resurrection Car Show and Community Event is Sat., Aug. 17, from 10 am to 3 pm at Resurrection Leawood. This free, family-friendly gathering includes classic car displays, food trucks, games, and activities for all ages, while supporting our Hunger Ministry and Bookmobile. This is a community-wide event for all locations. Invite your friends who love cars and join me. Click here for more details.

Serve Saturday is Aug. 17. This is your chance to put your faith into action and make a tangible difference in our local community. We have a variety of ways you can serve in our community, and our service projects are designed to be easy and low commitment so that anyone can get involved. Learn more and sign up here.

New sermon series: Restored: Cars, God and the Christian Faith. I’ll return to the pulpit on August 17/18 with a new sermon series. Known as junkers or clunkers, survivors, rust buckets, beaters, or heaps – old cars that have seen better days may seem like hopeless causes destined for the junkyard. But in the hands of an expert auto restorer, these cars can be made better than new. It’s a great metaphor for what scripture says that God does with us. He sees us, not simply as we are, but as we could be. And he is an expert at restoring people. In this three-week series, we’ll consider the connection between restoring a classic automobile, and the process of spiritual restoration that can make us new. I’m really excited about this series and hope you will be also! Here’s a link to a TV spot we filmed for the car show and sermon series. Please share it next week with your friends.

IF YOU’VE BEEN VISITING, WE’D LOVE FOR YOU TO BECOME A RESURRECTION MEMBER! 

• Sunday, Aug. 11, 12:30 pm at Brookside and Blue Springs
• Sunday, Aug. 25, 12:30 pm at Downtown
• Sunday, Aug. 25, 2 pm at Leawood, West, Overland Park, Spring Hill and Online

FALL PROGRAMS KICK OFF FOR ALL AGES

Adults – As our kids go back to school, Fall is the perfect time for us to recommit to growing in our faith. I hope you’ll make a commitment to be in worship each week and find a way to be intentional about learning and growing. Learn about opportunities here.

Students – Enrollment for fall programs for 6th- 12th grade students is also open, and you’ll want to check out the great opportunities available. Join your peers as you navigate life together, guided by caring leaders invested in your spiritual growth in thought-provoking Discipleship Groups which include Middle School and High School Sunday School classes, 8th Grade Confirmation, and Wednesday night Youth Group. Here’s the link.

6th Graders and Parents – Stepping into middle school is a big step, and to make this big change easier, we’ve put together Belong – a fun event that helps both students and parents get ready for the teenage years ahead. Students will have an amazing time getting to know our student ministry team and making new friends, while parents learn great ways to support their student during this important time. Register here.

Kids – A new year of Sunday School, Wednesday night programs, and children’s choirs are all kicking off. Check it out here.

Young Adults – The Dwelling, weekly worship just for young adults, begins Aug. 27 at Resurrection Downtown (1522 McGee). I’m excited to join the young adults for their kick-off. Learn more here.

AN UPDATE ON THE DO UNTO OTHERS CAMPAIGN

Our 2024 Kindness Campaign Do Unto Others officially kicks off Aug. 17/18 when we will distribute campaign yard signs at all of our locations after worship. This is one way we spread the message of kindness and civility during a time when our country is becoming increasingly polarized. We’d like for each family to take two yard signs – one to display in your yard and one to place in the community in public spaces where you see other campaign signs.

We have almost 500 churches across the country who are joining us in our campaign this fall. If you have friends and family outside of Kansas City who would like to get their churches involved, we have a website with all the resources that are downloadable for free that you can share with them: campaignforkindness.com

You’ll also start seeing some advertising throughout the community supporting this message, and I know many of you are wearing your Do Unto Others t-shirts to help spread this message. If you would like to order a t-shirt, you can do so online hereand it will be shipped directly to you. You can also purchase or order one in the Resurrection bookstore at Leawood. We now have a new long-sleeved plum colored shirt available in addition to the short-sleeved plum and the long and short-sleeved charcoal. All have the red, blue and purple heart logo with the message “Do Unto Others” from Matthew 7:12.

We’ll be sharing more over the next month about special studies, programs and opportunities associated with the campaign at resurrection.church/kindness.

JOIN ME FOR VESPERS ON TUESDAY NIGHT

I will be back in Kansas City and invite you to join me at 7:30 pm Central Time on Facebook Live this Tuesday – click here to go to my Pastor Adam Hamilton Facebook page. You can access it here later on YouTube here.

I’m looking forward to being back in Kansas City Monday night!

Adam

P.S. Check out your location newsletter on Tuesday for more opportunities to get connected with Resurrection. Here’s the link to subscribe.