Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - February 2, 2024

Dear Resurrection Family,

There are lots of exciting things happening at Resurrection this weekend. Tonight, is the Beloved Women’s Conference, and as a part of our Sack Hunger Food Drive and the Super Bowl, we’ve been challenged in a friendly competition with United Methodists in the San Francisco area! More on this below, but first a look at this weekend in worship.

THIS WEEKEND: WWJD – What Would Jesus Do?

In the late 1800’s a pastor in Topeka, Kansas wrote a book called, In His Steps. I’ll tell you a bit about it this weekend. The book sold 50 million copies and popularized the idea that, when determining the right course of action, a simple question might guide Christians: What would Jesus do? In the 1990’s a youth group in Holland, Michigan abbreviated this to WWJD and made bracelets with the initials and soon, tens of millions of Christians across America were wearing them.

I’m excited about this weekend’s sermon as we conclude our series on Love. We’ll ask, What would Jesus do? And what would he have us do? We’ll look at the New Testament to find the answer, and I’ll suggest another question, popularized in the 1960s, that might give even better guidance for following Jesus in your daily life. Invite a friend and join us for worship this weekend!

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY, FEB. 11, WORSHIP AT 4 PM

Just a heads up that we will have Sunday evening worship at Leawood on Super Bowl weekend (a 50-minute service) at 4 pm to give you time to get to your Super Bowl parties.

SACK HUNGER FOOD DRIVE CHALLENGE FROM WEST COAST UNITED METHODISTS

The Chiefs aren’t the only ones preparing to take on the San Francisco 49ers! Resurrection is joining with the United Methodist Churches in Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri to score a victory against hunger by providing food for our communities.

Bishop David Wilson of the Great Plains Conference (Kansas and Nebraska) and Bishop Bob Farr of the Missouri Conference are teaming up in recognition of the Chiefs returning to the Super Bowl and have invited their colleagues in the California-Nevada, California-Pacific and Oregon-Idaho conferences to a friendly competition to see who can collect the most food for their communities through Super Bowl Sunday, February 11. In this challenge, the winners are people who are food insecure across seven states!

This year, Resurrection is collecting nutritious non-perishable food for our sack lunch program as well as monetary donations to purchase fresh foods as part of our Hunger Ministry (details here). Monetary donations will be used to provide 20+ area food pantries with meat, dairy and produce for families in need. Imagine providing milk, meat, fresh fruits and vegetables to your neighbors in the Kansas City area! Here’s the direct link to donate to the hunger drive. Let’s show our neighbors on the West Coast that Chiefs Kingdom is committed to building God’s Kingdom and caring for our community!

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE CHURCH? COFFEE WITH THE PASTORS THIS SUNDAY, FEB. 4

Are you interested in making Resurrection your church family by joining the church? Our process for joining is attending Coffee with the Pastors where you’ll meet others considering joining, as well as our pastors and staff. You’ll hear the church’s story, what we believe as United Methodist Christians, and what it means to be a member of the church. It is an inspiring and moving time together.

Please join me and our pastors for Coffee with the Pastors at any of our locations or online this Sunday, Feb. 4, from 2 – 4 pm. If, at the end of the Coffee, you are ready to join, we have a brief but moving joining ceremony after which you’ll be a member of the congregation. Please register here.

CELEBRATING GROUNDBREAKING AT RESURRECTION DOWNTOWN

This past weekend we celebrated groundbreaking at Resurrection Downtown where we will be adding a 3,900-square foot expansion that includes a new main entrance, a multipurpose room for the growing Downtown student ministry as well as church and community events on the lower level, and additional children’s classrooms on the upper level.

We have projects getting ready to begin at all our locations that will ensure we have the right spaces for ministry with all current and future generations – all this is possible because of your generosity in our churchwide Generation to Generation capital campaign. We’ll be keeping you updated as we move forward.

CHURCH CONFERENCE MONDAY, FEB. 7, 7-8:30 PM

Resurrection’s church conference is an annual meeting to approve elected leaders for governance committees, evaluate candidates for ministry, discuss the 2024 budget, and hear reports from our committees and ministries. We’ll be giving an update on proposed new Resurrection locations and timelines as well. All are invited to attend in person in the Leawood Foundry or on an online Zoom call, but only members may vote. For more information, go to cor.org/next.

FEBRUARY BLOOD DRIVES – SHARE THE LOVE!

This year marks our 30th year of hosting Community Blood Center’s blood drives, and this year, more than ever, your donation will make a difference because the adverse weather has adversely impacted local blood supplies. Everyone is welcome! If you’ve thought that you might not be eligible to donate, check the new donor eligibility here, many previous restrictions have been removed. Here are the dates and locations. You can click on your preference to make an appointment, but walk-ins are always welcome.

• Feb. 12, 8 am – 8 pm, Leawood
• Feb. 13, 8 am – 8 pm Leawood
• Feb. 15, 2-6 pm, Blue Springs
• Feb. 15, 2-7 pm, Overland Park
• Feb. 19, noon – 6 pm, West
• Feb. 20, 8 am – 2 pm, West
• Feb. 21, 9 am – 1 pm, Brookside

THREE FORMER CHIEFS SPEAKING AT UPCOMING MEN’S CONFERENCE!

We are on the final countdown to our 2024 Men’s Conference, Determined, Saturday, Feb. 24 from 9 to noon with tours happening before and after. You can sign up for a behind-the-scenes tour that includes the team’s locker room and a close look at the 2023 Lombardi Trophy. We’ll share breakfast together, and then we’ll hear from Resurrection member Jerry Cornelison, who played with the Dallas Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1960 to 1965. He’ll share stories of what it was like to play with the Chiefs in the early years. We’ve got Shawn Barber who played defensive linebacker for ten years in the NFL including several years with the Chiefs. He’ll be talking about the power of teamwork on and off the field. Resurrection member and former Chiefs QB, Trent Green will speak about leadership lessons from a QB’s perspective. Trent threw for over 28,000 yards including three consecutive 4,000+ seasons. He is now a football analyst/broadcaster with CBS. I’ll be sharing lessons from the upcoming Super Bowl for life and faith. And finally, Joel Goldberg, Royals broadcaster and leadership podcaster will share from his book, Small Ball, Big Results. It’s going to be AWESOME and fun! For details and to register click here.

VACATION BIBLE CAMP REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR VOLUNTEERS AND THEIR CHILDREN!

Vacation Bible Camp is gearing up for “The Jesus Tour” from July 15 – 19, and we need your help to make it a week to remember. Parents can volunteer and enjoy a fun-filled week exploring kindness, respect, and learning about Jesus through Bible stories, crafts, games, and music right along with their children. And, as a bonus, sign up to volunteer and take advantage of the childcare we will provide for your pre-K and under kids during VBC and access early VBC registration for your kindergarten through fifth-grade kids. For more information and to register, here’s the link.

FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH

During February, we have the opportunity to remember and honor the contributions of African Americans to the United States. Here are a couple of very special opportunities that you might be interested in:

• Black History Month Conversation: We, Too, Sing America, a 5-Week Exploration of the Story and Significance of Black People in America’s Story. Resurrection Leawood Location Pastor Robert Johnson will interview guest scholar and educator Dr. Shana Mashego as they introduce you to key Black individuals, well-known and unknown, in the story of Black history. You’ll hear about the most significant historical moments that shaped the Black experience, explore the history and legacy of Black music, and look into the roles Kansas and Missouri have played in shaping the Black story. These conversations (which began last night) will take place on Pastor Robert Johnson’s Facebook page on Thursdays, at 7 pm.
• Nina Simone: Four Women is being presented by KCReperatory Theater. The bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL, on September 16, 1963, led Nina Simone to shift her career from artist to artist-activist. The play uses the framework of one of her most blistering songs, Four Women, to look at an artist and the women around her as their journey leads them down a path of discovery and healing. Resurrection and St. James Allies for Racial Justice have a limited block of tickets for the February 18 matinee performance you can purchase by clicking here. If our block is sold out, you can still purchase full-price tickets at kcrep.org.
• We are the Music Makers: Amplifying Black Composers is a special concert that you won’t want to miss on Sunday, March 10, at 5 pm at Resurrection Brookside, 5144 Oak St. Resurrection’s Director of Music Outreach, Isaac Cates and his group Ordained, will be joined by the Spire Chamber Ensemble for this high energy 75-minute concert that will showcase gospel songs that are rhythmic, balladic, dramatic, and exciting, always delivered with thoughtful arrangements, polished harmonies, and expressive lead vocals. This is a ticketed concert, $25 for adults, $5 for students and free for ages 12 and under. You can purchase tickets here.

NO VESPERS THIS TUESDAY

LaVon and I will be out for a few days on vacation starting next Tuesday. Vespers will resume the following Tuesday unless something hits me while I’m out, and then I’ll jump online and go live for an impromptu Vespers! If you get a chance, follow me on Facebook and request to be notified when I go live.

Hope to see you this weekend!

Adam