Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - February 16, 2024

Dear Resurrection Family,

This has been a long week, with amazing highs and terrible lows. Sunday night the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, Tuesday the Royals announced plans to move downtown (plans that would displace our Resurrection Downtown location if approved). On Wednesday, Lent began with Ash Wednesday, and a million Kansas Citians celebrating at the Chiefs Super Bowl parade. Then the shooting at the end of the parade/rally that left one person dead, and 22 others injured. I’m going to touch base on several of these things in today’s eNote. But first, a word about this weekend in worship.

FIRST WEEKEND IN LENT: BUT GOD…

This weekend is the first weekend of Lent, the six-week season of penance and spiritual devotion leading up to Good Friday and Easter. I’ve addressed part of the sermon to the events of this last Wednesday, then turned to the Gospel According to Paul. The sermon I had planned, and the message of Lent, actually speaks directly to the tragic events of this last Wednesday.

This weekend my sermon title comes from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, “But God…” We’ll look at Paul’s words about the human condition, particularly about sin. Then we’ll turn to what Paul says about God’s grace. I think you’ll find it a powerful and uplifting message from Paul’s letters. But we’ll start the sermon with a few words about the tragic shooting at the Chiefs rally.

Invite a friend to join you for worship this weekend. If you live in Kansas City and can join us in person, I want to encourage you to do so.

TWO LENTEN CHALLENGES

For nearly 1,700 years, Christians have fasted during Lent. Some fast only on Fridays, marking the day when Christ was crucified. Some give up something Monday through Saturday, breaking their fast on Sunday, the day on which we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. Some fast every day. I am fasting from a couple of things I enjoy as a way of identifying with Christ’s fasting, to deepen my hunger for God, and to express my devotion to him. You may or may not fast anything, but I hope you might take on something during Lent.

I have two suggestions: First, if you live in Kansas City and usually worship with us online or on TV, consider taking on the practice of coming in person to worship at our location nearest you for the six weeks of Lent, plus Easter. The second would be to join me during Lent, as we focus on Paul’s messages, to read the 13 letters attributed to Paul in the New Testament – the earliest documents of our New Testament (the gospels, Acts, Revelation and several of the other epistles by other apostles were all written after Paul’s death (with the exception of James). We’ve prepared a guide for you if you decide to join me in reading Paul’s letters which you can download here.

TRAGEDY AT THE CHIEFS’ SUPER BOWL CELEBRATION

The shooting this week at the Chiefs Super Bowl Celebration was tragic and left many people shaken. I’ll be on Dana & Parks on KMBZ radio this evening at about 5 or 5:15 pm – they’ve asked that I join them to discuss how we cope with, and respond to, tragedies.

Dr. Rebeca Chow, our Clinical Director of Counseling Services put together a list of ways we might cope with tragic events. Here are a few of her suggestions. More and other resources, can be found at our website here.

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings: sadness, anger, fear, or confusion, and know that your feelings are valid and normal reactions to such a traumatic event.

2. Seek Support: Reach out to friends, family members, mental health professionals for support, and our pastors or Connection and Care ministers to share your feelings.

3. Practice Self-Care: Engage in activities that help you relax and unwind. Prayer, meditation, exercise, spending time outdoors, whatever usually helps you in coping with stress or anxiety.

4. Engage in Meaningful Action: Consider getting involved in initiatives aimed at promoting community healing and preventing future tragedies.

I appreciated Resurrection member and counselor Carrie Soper’s tip that for children, (and adults) seeing the event over and over again on the news or social media can add to anxiety – and that limiting social media or not rewatching the event might be important.

It helps me, when dealing with anxiety-producing circumstances, to also have facts. We can begin to feel that our world is completely unsafe. I’m reminded that we are 2.5 times more likely to die in a car accident than a gun-related homicide. I do not fear getting in my car and driving as I know the likelihood of my death in the car is small, and the chance of my dying by homicide is significantly smaller still. That is not to minimize the tragedy, only to help cope with the anxiety that an event like this produces, the fear that this is likely to happen to us.

Ultimately, the spiritual disciplines of prayer, of entrusting my life to God, no matter what happens, helps to bring what the Apostle Paul calls a “peace that passes all understanding.” My faith doesn’t guarantee nothing bad will happen to me, but it does promise that no matter what happens, God is with me, and I belong to him.

ROYALS NEW STADIUM AND RESURRECTION DOWNTOWN

Several weeks ago (not long after we broke ground downtown), the Royals reached out to us to say that our downtown locations were located in one of the areas where they were proposing to build their new stadium. As you may remember, they eliminated this KCStar location last year, focusing instead on two other sites. So, this was new news for us. We have had several conversations with them since and saw the plans for the first time at the press conference on Tuesday of this week. Here’s a bit of what we shared with the press after the Royals’ press conference:

“When we acquired and built our downtown location at 16th and Grand, it was the first new church building constructed downtown in over 80 years. We currently have two adjacent buildings in the proposed Royals’ footprint. Our location reflects our love for downtown Kansas City and the Crossroads and our desire to have a positive impact in the heart of our city. In the days ahead, we will continue to be in conversation with the Royals. We are committed to being in the Crossroads and downtown Kansas City and to having a positive impact for generations to come.”

We met in person with Royals’ leadership yesterday and shared a hope that they might shift their plans to the east so that Resurrection Downtown remains in its current location. I reminded them that Jesus said that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains. I told them we just want to move a ball stadium that’s not even built yet 😊.

Here’s what I’m convinced of: The Royals believe our church, and our Resurrection Downtown, play an important role in our city. They know our commitment to ministry in the Crossroads area of downtown. And I’m convinced that God will be at work in this and that whatever happens, it will ultimately have a positive impact on our ministry in the heart of the city, and we may just be surprised by what God does with this.

We have a great team including an excellent real estate development lawyer (who is also a member of Resurrection) on the team in conversation with the Royals. For now, I would simply ask that you pray for God to guide all involved. We’ll keep you posted. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email Scott.Chrostek@cor.org and he will do his best to be in touch.

SUPER BOWL SACK HUNGER CHALLENGE RESULTS – 118,000 lbs DONATED!

Kansas City didn’t just win on the football field! So did area food pantries and people who are food insecure. Resurrection, between all our locations, contributed a total of 118,512 lbs. of food! 10,141 lbs. of physical donations and $126,793.74 which will equate to an additional 108,371 lbs. of dairy, meat and fresh produce donated to area food pantries. I am so proud of you, Resurrection!!!

PRESIDENTS’ DAY SERVE WEEKEND – SATURDAY AND MONDAY

In January, we had to move our Martin Luther King, Jr. Serve Weekend to February because of the cold temperatures. We are looking forward to a community-wide day of service this Presidents’ Day Weekend! We have a variety of opportunities for you, your family and your friends to join us to serve our community on Saturday, Feb. 17 and Monday, Feb. 19. Just follow this link to find where and when you are interested in serving, sign up and join us for a fun day of sharing the love of Jesus in impactful ways by serving our neighbors.

LENTEN CONCERTS AT LEAWOOD AND ORGAN CONCERT AT BROOKSIDE

Music is a wonderful way to experience worship during Lent, and Resurrection hosts a series of concerts during Lent. These family-friendly mid-day concerts will be held on Wednesdays, Feb. 21 – March 20 in the Leawood Sanctuary (Building A). You’ll hear a variety of amazing Resurrection musicians each week. Concerts will start at 12:15 pm, but you can join us prior to the concert at 11:30 am for lunch from the Spring Cafe.

In addition, Resurrection Brookside will offer a special Lenten organ concert, The Impressions of the Psalms, on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7 pm in the Sanctuary. The music will guide you through themes of trust, penitence, and hope inspired by the timeless poetry of the Psalms. This introspective evening offers a space for quiet reflection as we approach Easter. No registration is required.

LENTEN STUDIES

Pastors Robert Johnson, Cheryl Jefferson Bell, and Ashley Morgan Kirk are leading a four-week Lenten study exploring old and new spiritual practices as we collectively prepare our hearts and lives for the significance of Easter. This season serves as an opportunity to reflect on the profound aspects of Christ’s death, life, and Resurrection. This study is offered beginning Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 6:30 pm in the Leawood Foundry and also online. Learn more and register here.

Each of our locations will have special opportunities to worship, study and serve during Lent. Make sure that you check your location pastors’ eNote on Tuesdays for these opportunities.

CONGRATULATIONS ON 2023 PERFECT AND HIGH ATTENDANCE

Each year, we recognize those of you who had perfect or near-perfect worship attendance in 2023! This weekend you can pick up a 2023 sticker that you can wear on your nametag. Your faithful presence has been a blessing, and we feel honored that you continue to grow, serve, and worship at Resurrection. Here is a list of those who have had attendance of 90% and above at all of our locations or online. We base this off the records of those who register their attendance each weekend. If you think you had perfect or near perfect attendance, but you’re not on the list, please reach out to ashly.cooley@cor.org and let us know.

JOB OPENINGS AT RESURRECTION

Like any large organization, Resurrection regularly has openings on our staff team. You can check current openings at resurrection.church/employment. We have a current opening for a Safety, Compliance and Risk Management Lead Director, a full-time position responsible for leading churchwide safety, compliance, and risk management activities. We’ve had a number of good candidates, but wanted to share this with you in case you know someone with these specialized skills who might be interested. You can learn more about this opening here.

VESPERS THIS TUESDAY: COMING FROM SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

Sunday afternoon I am leaving for Scottsdale where I’m helping to lead a gathering of 78 of the pastors of the largest churches in United Methodism focused on the future of the UMC and on learning from one another (my sermon will be by video on Sunday night). Tuesday night I’m hoping to come to you on Facebook Live from Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale. Because I’m not sure exactly what the schedule will be that night, know there is a chance I won’t be able to join you – but that is my plan at this point. So, take a look around 7:30 pm Tuesday night to see if I’m able to join you for a bit as I share a few thoughts about faith and life. Here’s the link.

RESURRECTION WORSHIP LEADER ON AMERICAN IDOL

Finally, I have some very exciting news to share. This Sunday night is the premiere of a new season of American Idol and Resurrection’s own Zae Romeo auditioned. Does Zae get a golden ticket? I don’t know. It’s a big secret, so we’ll have to watch to find out. Zae is our student ministry worship leader, an incredibly talented musician and an inspiring young man. I’m hoping American Idol recognizes this, also! American Idol is on ABC television network Sunday, Feb. 18.

 

Plan to invite a friend and join me for worship this first weekend of Lent

Adam

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