Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Dear Resurrection Family,

We’ve got a lot of fun and exciting things happening at Resurrection this weekend! Be sure to take a look at my entire eNote, or at least scan it. There are things you won’t want to miss.

This weekend I’ll be sharing a fun yet poignant message connecting Jesus’ call to be “born again” with Despicable Me 4, the latest installment in the best-selling animated series of films of all time (we’ll also be showing the film Sunday afternoon for free at 2 pm in our Leawood Foundry). Tomorrow, I hope some of you will join me for our annual School Makeover at the Woodland Early Learning Center and Global Academy on Saturday as we continue the work of blessing low-income kids in Kansas City.

WORSHIP THIS WEEKEND – JESUS AND DESPICABLE ME 4

I’m excited to be back in the pulpit this weekend as we turn to the second in our series of sermons looking for the gospel in last year’s best-selling films. We’ll focus on Despicable Me 4, part of the best-selling animated film franchise of all time. This weekend we’ll see what Gru, the Supervillain, has to do with the words of Jesus, James, Peter and Paul and YOU! It’s going to be a fun but poignant message that I know will speak to you and your family, friends and your kids!

SEE DESPICABLE ME 4 FREE AT OUR LEAWOOD LOCATION SUNDAY AT 2

During this series, you also have the opportunity to watch the movies featured in the sermons at fellowship events at our locations. You can see all the movies, times and places offered here on the summer events page. This week’s movie will be shown at Resurrection Leawood on Sunday, June 22, at 2 pm in the Foundry Hall. The movie is a fun free activity for families and people of all ages. Complimentary popcorn and water will be provided, with soda and candy available for purchase. Feel free to bring your favorite blankets or chairs or use our chairs.

NEVER BEEN BAPTIZED? I’LL BE BAPTIZING SUNDAY AFTERNOON

If you’ve never been baptized, we have a special baptismal service this Sunday afternoon at 2 pm in our Wesley Chapel in Building C. I’ll be sharing about the meaning of baptism, then we’ll have some of our pastors baptizing in the chapel by sprinkling, and for those who would like to be immersed, I’ll be immersing in the original Memorial Garden just outside of Wesley. For more information click here. If you have been baptized but would like to renew your baptism you can also sign up to join us.

ALLIES FOR RACIAL JUSTICE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION SATURDAY

Allies for Racial Justice, Resurrection’s partnership with St. James Church, will host our annual Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 21, at St. James, 5540 Wayne Avenue, KCMO. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, and this celebration event will honor the occasion with music, song, spoken word, and stepping – an African American percussive dance form. The Pre-Talk, “From Slave to Soldier,” will begin at 4 pm, followed by the musical “For This We Give You Praise” program at 5 pm. This community-wide event is free and open to everyone and will be both informational and inspiring. I look forward to attending. I hope you will plan to attend. Registration is not required but is appreciated for planning. Here’s the link.

SCHOOL MAKEOVER AND COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECT JUNE 18-27

Our annual School Makeover Event has started and will continue until June 27! This year, we’re partnering with Woodland Early Learning Center and Global Academy in the Kansas City Missouri School District to renovate classrooms into welcoming, inspiring spaces where students feel proud to learn and grow. This is part of our 2030 Vision at Resurrection of strengthening preschool education low-income communities.

But there’s more! In addition to the school makeover, we are teaming up with Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center and Kansas City Community Gardens to revitalize the school gardens at Woodland and install new garden beds at Samuel Rodgers across the street. There’s a photo of the space below, and I can’t wait to show you the photo after volunteers turn this space into a community garden where students experience hands-on learning and fresh vegetables to encourage healthy eating habits.

We hope to get more than 500 volunteers for this project, and no special skills are needed, just a willingness to make a difference. Gather your family, friends, or coworkers and sign up for a shift here.

VACATION BIBLE CAMP FOR OUR KIDS AND SENIORS!

I’ve been talking a lot about Vacation Bible Camp the past several weeks, because I’m really excited about one of the biggest events we host every year, and I don’t want you to miss out! This year’s theme is Wild Kingdom: Trust Leads the Way, and it promises to be unforgettable as we explore faith through the wonder of God’s creatures. VBC kicks off the week of July 14, and while spots are filling up fast, there’s still time to register your kids here for a week packed with games, crafts, music, and meaningful lessons about trust and faith.

I also learned this week that our Silver Link ministry has created a Senior Adult Vacation Bible School curriculum this year that will be shared with 25 senior communities and hundreds of people. Silver Link is committed to meeting our elders where they are, if they can no longer get to a physical location for worship we go to them, like Jesus did in his ministry! This Silver Link curriculum includes snack ideas, music links, discussion questions, and crafts to go along with each lesson that can be used in assisted living and skilled care facilities. Our hope is this will foster intergenerational conversations since many of the kids who will be at Vacation Bible Camp have grandparents on our care lists. If you have a heart for seniors, Silverlink might be a place for you to serve. Learn more here.

YOU CAN STILL GET TICKETS TO RESURRECTION NIGHT AT THE ROYALS

Join me and hundreds of other Resurrection members at the K, Friday, June 27 at 7:10 pm. We still have tickets available; you can purchase them here. The Kansas City Royals take on the Los Angeles Dodgers at Kauffman Stadium. If you are going to the game, look for the Resurrection Table by Gate A (left field), where we’ll have a special gift and you can enter a drawing for an autographed Bobby Witt, Jr. baseball. We’ve also got a free frozen treat for all. I’m excited to be at the game!

MEN’S CHURCHWIDE PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT JUNE 29

This annual event takes place at two area Chicken N Pickle locations in Leawood and North Kansas City on Sunday, June 29, from 1 – 4 pm. This will be a fun event for men of all ages and pickleball skill levels. Register to play here. Speaking of pickleball, the church’s pickleball and basketball courts are making huge progress at our Leawood location, available for Resurrection members from any location to use when completed.

WORLD REFUGEE DAY JUNE 20 AND RESURRECTION “TEAM WELCOME”

Today, June 20 has been designated World Refugee Day, by the United Nations to draw attention to the plight of those fleeing conflict or persecution. In 2021, Resurrection launched a ministry called “Team Welcome” to welcome and support those approved by the US Government for refugee status as a way of living out Jesus’ words in Matthew 25: “I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.” Refugees have not been allowed into the US since January, but we continue to support those who resettled here over the last few years. If you’d like to learn more or get involved, you are invited to join them on Tuesday, June 24, from 6-8 pm at Resurrection Overland Park (8421 W. 95th St.) You’ll get to tour our Resurrection food pantry and hear from speakers from Cultivate KC’s New Roots program and learn how you can get involved. This is a really rewarding way to serve. You can RSVP here. You can also learn more about our Refugee Support Ministry on the website.

THIS WEEK’S PODCAST: ONE LAST LOOK AT THE NICENE CREED

This week’s podcast features a conversation with me and Pastor Michael Carpenter, a United Methodist pastor from Oklahoma who recently wrote a book called We Believe: How the Nicene Creed Can Deepen Your Faith. I think you’ll enjoy this interview. You can listen to or watch the podcast by clicking here.

ISRAEL, IRAN AND A WORLD OF UNCERTAINTY

I know you’ve been watching, as I have, the events in Iran and Israel. I’m praying for the people in both Iran and Israel. Members of our church are from and have family in Iran. I have friends whose family live in Israel.

I have a host of ethical questions swirling in my mind about the events that have taken place in Iran and Israel this week. I’m hoping to be able to interview Christian and Jewish ethicists on my podcast to discuss Just War Theory and pre-emptive or preventative (the two are slightly different) attacks by one nation against another. More on that later.

For now, I’d just like to invite you to join me in praying for leaders of both Israel and Iran, and for the UN and US, that wisdom and diplomacy might prevail as these nations, and the middle east, seek a way forward that does not turn into another decade long war.

Looking forward to this jam-packed weekend at Resurrection and to an amazing weekend in worship!

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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