Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - February 20, 2026

February 21, 2026

February 20, 2026

Dear Resurrection Family,

The season of Lent is the most meaningful part of the Christian liturgical year. From the early centuries of the Christian faith, the Church felt the need to spiritually prepare to rightly commemorate Christ’s suffering and death and to ready themselves to celebrate his resurrection. Since Jesus began his ministry with forty days of fasting, Christians adopted this same practice (and before Jesus, Moses and Elijah had each fasted forty days). We fast from things we enjoy to express our love for God and to focus our hearts on God. We commit to being in worship each weekend, to pray daily, to read scripture (this year our daily GPS is focused on the final week of Jesus’ life), and to seek to intentionally help others and more. At our traditional services at Leawood, our pastors will wear their pulpit robes and purple stoles, adding a sense of tradition to the services.

This year, our forty days of Lent will focus on the events of the Final Week of Jesus’ life as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel. We have moved Palm Sunday up from the week before Easter to this weekend, as the last week of Jesus’ life began with Palm Sunday. Each week, we’ll progress closer and closer to Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection as we focus on what Jesus said and did on each of the progressive days of that Final Week.

THIS WEEKEND – THE FINAL WEEK: PALM SUNDAY

This weekend, my sermon is called, Lo, Your King Comes to You – a line from the Prophet Zechariah, repeated in Matthew. It captures the theme of Matthew’s account of the Final Week of Jesus’ life. Because our entire Lenten season is recounting Holy Week, we will begin Lent with Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of Holy Week.

The service will begin with a palm procession by the children at all of our locations. As they bring their palms forward, we’ll be singing the Hosannas from Psalm 118, just as the people did as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Sunday as Holy Week began. I’ll be teaching you a bit of geography, and we’ll learn a lesson about donkeys and why, when Jesus had just finished walking 85 miles to Jerusalem, he insisted on riding a donkey for the final mile into Jerusalem.

In Matthew 21, a question is asked by the crowds in Jerusalem – “Who is this man?” and, in three different ways, Matthew answers that question. I’m excited about this weekend, as it’s been 16 years since I’ve spent an entire sermon focused on the events of Palm Sunday. If you have children or grandchildren, have them check into Sunday School at the beginning of the service so they can be a part of the Palm Procession as worship begins!

CHURCHWIDE LENTEN STUDY: SMALL SHIFTS, BIG CHANGE

This week, we’re kicking off a Lenten study called Small Shifts, Big Faith. This is a Lenten study built around the idea that faith isn’t usually shaped by one big moment — it’s the small, everyday practices that make the difference over time. Each week, we’ll explore different Lenten practices that help us receive God’s grace and live it out in real life. You can join the study in person at any of our locations or online. Select a location and register here.

LENTEN CONCERT SERIES AT LEAWOOD AND LIVE-STREAMED

This coming Wednesday, Feb. 25, we’re kicking off a midday concert series in the Leawood Sanctuary. On Wednesdays at 12:15 pm through March 25, we’ll have 30 minutes of music — an opportunity during the Lenten season to pause and feed your soul. This week, Isaac Cates opens the series on piano and vocals. If you can’t be there in person, you can join via livestream or watch on demand afterward. Here’s the link to the series lineup and the livestream. If you do come in person, a light lunch will be available for purchase at the Building A cafe starting at 11 am.

SERVE SATURDAY TOMORROW

Tomorrow is our monthly Serve Saturday, and we still have some opportunities open for you to serve in our community. This is a great way to learn more about organizations in our community and make a positive impact on your neighbors in the metro area while having the powerful experience of helping others by becoming God’s hands and feet right here in Kansas City. You can see the available opportunities and sign up here.

GUYS, JOIN ME FOR THE DETERMINED MEN’S CONFERENCE FEB. 27-28

Guys, invite your friends and join our male pastors and me for our annual men’s conference. We’ll have barbecue made by some of our men – it’s awesome – and a guest speaker, author and podcaster Carlos Whittaker (check him out here) on Friday night, along with fellowship. Then on Saturday, we kick off with two of our doctors who’ve spent a lot of time studying the research on near-death experiences – it’s fascinating. I’ll interview them and then share some of the experiences of Resurrection members. We’ll then have some awesome breakout sessions presented by our pastors. I’ll close it with the presentation I’ve been making in other conferences on my book, Why Did Jesus Have to Die? Followed by a chance for you to ask your hardest biblical or theological questions you’ve always wanted to ask. It’s a good way to dig deep into the meaning of Lent.

You can join us in person at our Leawood location or online. If you haven’t registered yet, do so here. Don’t miss this!

RESURRECTION CARE MINISTRIES

Last week in worship, we highlighted the many ways Resurrection comes alongside you during life’s challenging seasons. We provide counseling support, facilitate recovery groups, coordinate care ministries, and walk with people through difficult times. On our website here, you’ll find information about support groups addressing grief, addiction, mental health, and other life transitions, as well as opportunities to submit care or prayer requests for yourself or someone you love. You can also learn about meaningful ways to serve by caring for others on the website.

FACEBOOK INTERVIEW WITH INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JERRY MITCHELL

As part of our observance of Black History Month, I encourage you to check out an interview our Lee’s Summit Location Pastor Robert Johnson is going to do with renowned investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell on Sunday night, Feb. 22. Mitchell is an award-winning American investigative reporter best known for reopening and helping solve some of the most notorious unsolved civil rights-era murder cases in Mississippi. By uncovering sealed files, forgotten witnesses, and contradictory testimony, he compelled state officials to reopen cases many believed were permanently closed. The interview will air on the Facebook pages of Robert Johnson and Allies for Racial Justice.

FEBRUARY BLOOD DRIVES

It was awesome to see so many of you giving blood this week when I stopped in to donate at Leawood. Thank you to everyone who donated blood at our drives this week at Leawood, Blue Springs, Overland Park and Brookside. If you missed it, we have more opportunities to participate at other locations this week. You can reserve your time slot in advance or just walk in. Here are the dates and locations. Use this link to select your location and sign up.

Mon., Feb. 23, 10 am – 7 pm, West (Olathe)
Tue., Feb. 24, 3 – 7 pm, Downtown
Wed., Feb. 25, 1 – 6 pm, Spring Hill
Thur., Feb. 26, 2 – 7 pm, Lee’s Summit

You likely know you have been the largest source of blood donations in Kansas City for many years now. In this season when we remember Christ’s blood shed for us, this is a powerful way to join him in saving another person’s life.

KINDNESS AMBASSADORS FOR OUR NEXT KINDNESS CAMPAIGN

Resurrection is preparing for our 2026 Kindness Campaign, and while we are all kindness ambassadors, we are looking for passionate people who want to spread this message in the community and would like to volunteer to help with this year’s campaign. We’d love to have representatives from every location. We have a variety of ways you can help, from distributing signs and t-shirts to helping at community events. If you are interested, just submit this form.

DO YOU HAVE FRIENDS IN OKC, TULSA OR DALLAS?

I’m speaking in Oklahoma City this Tuesday night on my new book and Lenten study, Why Did Jesus Have to Die? That’s at Acts 2 UMC (more information is here). On Wednesday night, I’ll be in Tulsa speaking at Faith UMC at 6:30 pm (more information is here). I’m grateful LaVon is driving me, allowing me to write my sermon while we’re on the road. Thanks, LaVon! Finally, on Monday, May 2, I’ll be speaking at First United Methodist Church in Richardson. If you have friends in the Dallas area, please let them know. Here’s the link.

I’m so looking forward to kicking off our Lent this Sunday with my sermon, Lo, Your King Comes to You…

I love you, Resurrection!

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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Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - February 20, 2026

THIS WEEKEND – THE FINAL WEEK: PALM SUNDAY

CHURCHWIDE LENTEN STUDY: SMALL SHIFTS, BIG CHANGE

LENTEN CONCERT SERIES AT LEAWOOD AND LIVE-STREAMED

SERVE SATURDAY TOMORROW

GUYS, JOIN ME FOR THE DETERMINED MEN’S CONFERENCE FEB. 27-28

RESURRECTION CARE MINISTRIES

FACEBOOK INTERVIEW WITH INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JERRY MITCHELL

FEBRUARY BLOOD DRIVES

KINDNESS AMBASSADORS FOR OUR NEXT KINDNESS CAMPAIGN

DO YOU HAVE FRIENDS IN OKC, TULSA OR DALLAS?

Adam Hamilton

Resurrection Senior Pastor

Learn More About What's Happening Now at Your Location

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