Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - Feb. 24, 2023
February 24, 2023
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February 24, 2023
Dear Resurrection Family,
I am writing from Jerusalem where we have spent the last five days retracing the life of Jesus with 40 Resurrection young adults in our Emerging Leaders program. Last week, I did the same with 188 Resurrection members. It has been a remarkable experience. I’m heading home at midnight Saturday night – they will be remaining for an extra day. Each group has been extraordinary, and I love seeing how walking in the footsteps of Jesus in the Holy Land transforms how people read scripture, deepens their faith, and develops lifelong friendships. Here are some things coming up at Resurrection during this season of Lent.
THIS WEEKEND IN WORSHIP: BISHOP DAVID WILSON PREACHING
You are in for an amazing opportunity this weekend in worship! Rev. Dr. David Wilson, the newly elected bishop of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church, will be preaching at Resurrection. Resurrection is part of the Great Plains Conference which is comprised of all the UMC churches in Kansas and Nebraska.
Bishop Wilson, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, holds the distinction of being the first Native American elected to serve as a bishop in the history of The United Methodist Church. Prior to election, Bishop Wilson served as assistant to the bishop of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference (OIMC), which is comprised of 81 Native American churches in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. He previously served as the OIMC superintendent for 18 years.
Bishop Wilson is a gifted scholar, teacher, preacher and leader, and I know you will be inspired by his message. You will not want to miss worship this weekend!
ANOTHER SUPER BOWL WIN WITH FOOD DRIVE!
By the way, Bishop Wilson is also a Chiefs fan. He, along with Bishop Bob Farr in Missouri, challenged the Eagles backers in the Eastern Pennsylvania and Greater New Jersey to a friendly competition to see which United Methodist conferences could collect the most food items for local food pantries in their areas.
The reality is both communities won, but just like the Super Bowl game, Kansas City brought the victory. The Kansas City side – the Great Plains and Missouri conferences combined — collected 105,367 pounds of food. Eagles backers collected 74,560 lbs.
Resurrection, you gave 39,400 pounds of food for the challenge, and we have additional donations that came during the week after the Super Bowl. In this Soup-er Bowl Challenge, everyone won. Thank you, Resurrection, for your generosity!
HISTORY OF GOSPEL MUSIC DOCUMENTARY SCREENING MONDAY, FEB. 27 IN LEAWOOD SANCTUARY
Resurrection is hosting the world premiere of the film I’m So Glad: Kansas City and the Roots of Black Gospel on Monday, Feb. 27, at 6:30 pm in the Leawood Sanctuary. Resurrection worship leader Isaac Cates narrates this film that traces the history of Gospel music in Kansas City. This is a fascinating story, filled with amazing interviews and previously unseen historic footage. A panel discussion with the directors will follow the showing. There is no cost for this event, but registration is encouraged! Learn more about the film and let us know you’re coming by clickinghere.
NEW SERMON SERIES IN MARCH; WORDS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
I’ll be back in the pulpit March 4/5 to begin a sermon series leading us to Easter titled Words That Changed the World: The Message of Jesus. Three billion people claim to follow Jesus, but aside from a few verses, many don’t know what he actually taught. In these sermons, we’ll study the six most important themes in Jesus’ teaching, why they matter, and how they speak to us today. Invite a friend now to join you for worship.
OPPORTUNITIES DURING LENT
In addition to worshiping every week during the season of Lent, I want to encourage you to find an intentional way to grow in your faith. You can check out a variety of ways to do this at resurrection.church/lent. We’re offering:
- Weekly video reflections you can subscribe to as part of our daily Grow, Pray, Study (GPS) Guide
- A community Serve Saturday on March 18
- Lenten Concert Series at Leawood and Brookside
- A variety of studies and classes
- The Easter Egg-Venture for children and families on April 1
- A special Holy Week Service
LENTEN CONCERT SERIES
We have opportunities at two locations for you to make sacred music a part of your Lenten experience:
- The Resurrection Leawood Concerts will be from 12:15 – 12:45 pm on Wednesdays, March 1-29 in the Leawood Sanctuary. They will also be live streamed here. The first concert on March 1 is The Bible on Broadway, featuring Leah Swank-Miller, Kevin Bogan and Kelly Sanford who will share music from inspirational and iconic Bible stories that have been turned into Broadway shows including “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat,” “Children of Eden” and “The Apple Tree.” The Cafe in Building A will be open from 11:15 am – 12:30 pm to purchase lunch prior to the concert.
- Resurrection Brookside will host two organ concerts during Lent in the Brookside Sanctuary, one on March 7 and one on March 28, both at 7:30 pm.
THANK YOU, BLOOD DONORS
This month we collected a grand total of 695 units of live-saving blood through the community blood drives at four of our locations – 578 units at Leawood, 25 at Overland Park., 28 at Blue Springs, and 64 at West. Thank you to the donors and volunteers who care for our community in this important way. Our next blood drive will be around the Memorial Day holiday when there is usually a greater need for donations.
BIBLE STUDY FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS
Are you in college and looking to connect with others your age and learn more about the Bible? I’d like to invite you to join me for a study of the Gospel of Luke during Lent. We’ll study my new book, Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts and Outlaws for three weeks on Tuesday evenings beginning March 21, from 7 pm to 8:30 pm at the Leawood Parlor (Building A) and on Zoom. Pizza will also be provided at Leawood. Here’s the link to sign up.
2022 HIGH ATTENDANCE UPDATE
Thank you to those of you who let us know you worshipped 90% or more in 2022 and were not on the original list. Here is the updated list of names.
VESPERS TUESDAY, FEB. 28
This Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7:30 pm CST I’ll be sharing about taking pilgrimages to the Holy Land, why these matter and a how we organize our itinerary and the places we visit – this might be particularly helpful for pastors or others considering leading a trip. Our trips are organized a bit differently than is often done. Join us on my Pastor Adam Hamilton Facebook page or watch the replay on my FB page or on our YouTubechannel after Tuesday.
Looking forward to being back in KC on Sunday!
In Christ’s 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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