THIS WEEKEND IN WORSHIP: “WHEN WORDS FAIL US”
This weekend, Pastor Scott Chrostek will continue the sermon series on five essential spiritual practices that change our lives, draw us closer to God and help us become the people God longs for us to be. The series is called Becoming Better, and this week we’ll look at the importance of reading scripture on our own and the power of reading and discussing with others in a way that we hear God speak through the Bible. I’m looking forward to this weekend’s message and worship!
PASTORS ORDAINED AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Congratulations to the pastors who will be ordained at the Great Plains Conference, tonight, as elders and deacons in the United Methodist Church. Three are currently serving on our staff, two previously served on our staff and one grew up in our church and heard his call to ministry here.
Lydia Kim and Blake Thomas will be commissioned as provisional Elders. After completing seminary, those pursuing full ordination as an elder must serve at least two years in a provisional status – something like a residency. Lydia and Blake were commissioned with the hope of being fully ordained in two years. Lydia serves as a Connection and Care Pastor at Leawood. Blake has been serving as the Director of Student Ministry at Resurrection West, but began serving as a Connection and Care Pastor at Leawood June 1.
Justin Schoolcraft, will be ordained as a full Deacon. Justin serves as Director of Small Groups and Young Adults at Leawood. Deacons serve local churches in a variety of ministry capacities including programming, missions and a host of other ministries in the church and in the world.
Among those who served on our staff while in seminary, or who grew up at Resurrection and heard their call here are:
Jimmy Yoo who is being commissioned a provisional Elder. Jimmy served as an intern in congregational care while in seminary. He currently serves at Yates Center and Neosho Falls UMCs.
Karissa Miller will also be ordained as a full Elder. Karissa served at Resurrection while attending seminary, and is the Associate Pastor at Topeka First UMC.
Blake Stanwood will also be ordained a full Elder. Blake grew up at Resurrection and heard his call to ministry here, and you provided scholarship funds as he attended seminary. Blake is currently serving as pastor at Humboldt and Big Creek UMCs.
SPECIAL BAPTISM SERVICE BY IMMERSION JUNE 25
Baptism is one of the foundational practices of the Christian faith and a sacrament by which people publicly profess their faith in Jesus Christ. As United Methodists, we affirm all modes of baptism, including sprinkling, pouring, and immersion. On Sunday, June 25, at 2 pm, we will have a Baptism by Immersion service in the Wesley Memorial Garden.
If you have never been baptized, whether you have been seeking to follow Christ for years, or are just now interested in making that decision for the first time, you are invited to join us for this special service. Space is limited, and registration is required. Here’s the link for more information and to register.
COULD YOU BE A SMALL GROUP LEADER THIS FALL?
New Groups are forming for fall, and we need leaders. As a small group leader at Resurrection, you’ll have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others and grow in your faith – and, it’s easy because our team will provide everything you need and guide and support you along the way. This weekend we’ll have members of our Adult Discipleship team available after worship to answer any questions you might have. You can also go to our website here to learn more about becoming a small group leader or to indicate your interest in joining a small group in the fall.
RESURRECTION CAR SHOW TOMORROW!
Among my favorite events each summer at Resurrection is the car show! It is a great opportunity to invite friends who don’t normally go to church to visit. There will be a lot of great classic cars (if you have a fun car, you can still sign up or just show up and register). There will be some newer and interesting cars there as well. I’ll be there tomorrow morning with my 2023 Ford Lightning F150 electric pick-up truck on display. If you’ve been curious about electric vehicles or the new Ford electric F150, I’d love to tell you about my experience! Invite a friend to join you at our Leawood location for the 20th Annual Resurrection Car Show on Saturday, June 10, from 9 am – 1 pm at Resurrection Leawood (137th and Nall). This free, family-friendly event will include lots of great cars, food and fun for everyone. And, our Resurrection Orchestra will even perform outside at the car show at 11:30 am. The Car Show benefits Resurrection’s Hunger Relief and Car Repair ministries.
JOB SEARCH CLUB MEETS FRIDAYS AT 8:30 AM
If you are in an employment transition, you might be interested in joining the Resurrection Job Search Club which meets every Friday morning. You can join in person at the Resurrection Leawood location, Building C, Room C041B or you can also join us online. This volunteer-led group meets to support and encourage one another. Here are the details.
SUMMER AT RESURRECTION
There’s a lot of things going on this summer, and I hope you’ll take advantage of opportunities to worship, serve, and learn, while connecting and sharing with others in our church and community. Below are just a few highlights. Make sure you check out all the exciting things that are happening at Resurrection at cor.org/next each week.
SERVE SATURDAY – JUNE 17
Our monthly Serve Saturday is coming up on June 17! In recognition of June as Justice Month, we have several upcoming projects that focus on important issues such as Creation Care and Refugee Resettlement. We have a variety of times and alternative dates to choose from, so you can find a time that works for you, your family, friends, or small group. Sign up here.
ENNEAGRAM WORKSHOP WITH SUZANNE STABILE JUNE 23-24
The Enneagram is a popular tool to uncover your unique personality type. This month, Suzanne Stabile, a renowned Enneagram expert, will be leading a workshop on June 23 and 24 at our Leawood location and also online. The workshop will help you learn more about the nine Enneagram types and how you can use that knowledge to have healthier relationships and a more fulfilling life. Sessions are Friday, June 23, 6-9 pm (with optional dinner from 5-6 pm) and Saturday, June 24, 9 am-4 pm. Here’s the linkto learn more and register.
JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION WITH ST. JAMES UMC JUNE 24
Juneteenth is a day to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States and celebrate freedom while honoring the resilience of the human spirit. The annual St. James UMC and Resurrection Juneteenth Celebration, presented by the Allies for Racial Justice, will be Saturday, June 24, at 5 pm at St. James UMC, 5540 Wayne Ave., KCMO. The event will be filled with music, art, poetry, and dancing, all in celebration of the rich African American culture. Here are more details.
HIGH SCHOOL SERVED EVENT JUNE 28
On Wednesday, June 28, we’re going to have a special serve day just for high school students. This will be a great opportunity to connect with other students and work with our mission partners across Kansas City. Learn more on the website.
NO VESPERS THIS WEEK
During the summer I’ll be a bit hit and miss on Vespers. This Tuesday LaVon and I will be at the Lake of the Ozarks with friends. Watch for Vespers the following week.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Last night, we gathered most of Resurrection’s clergy and lay members to Annual Conference for pizza and to hear our teams’ reflections on Annual Conference. By the way, Annual Conference is held for three or four days every June. Half laity and half clergy, these annual gatherings in Methodism have occurred since 1784. Initially, primarily a clergy gathering, they served to encourage fellowship, spiritual growth and unity. Over time, Annual Conference became a time when new clergy were ordained, when bishops assigned pastors to their churches, and when the business of the churches, in a given region, was conducted. It was part revival, part worship, part business meeting, part vision casting and part fellowship. It still functions in this way to this day.
Churches typically have one lay delegate (called lay members to Annual Conference) for each clergy assigned to their church. We have 25 clergy at Resurrection and hence have 25 laity as well, for a total of 50 members of the Annual Conference (see pic below of those who joined us for pizza last night).
I asked our delegates, over pizza last night, how they felt about Annual Conference. It was a joy to hear them speak about their excitement about the future of the United Methodist Church. We have nearly 50 new clergy being ordained at Annual Conference – many young people – that was exciting. But the real excitement came in seeing that, despite the fact that 20% of our churches, mostly small rural congregations, voted to leave the UMC over the last year, the 80% who remained were energized. There were so many small churches that were growing, and churches where the conflict was finally resolved and where people were dreaming again about their future. The churches were clear that we will welcome everyone; that we are seeking to be passionate followers of Jesus; that we are a church that is driven to serve God by serving others. It has been a very uplifting and hope-filled conference.
One final note: On the last day of Annual Conference, the last thing to happen is that the bishop “fixes the appointments” – that is, he or she assigns all pastors to the churches they will serve for the coming year. Each of our clergy, including me, is appointed or reappointed annually to Resurrection, or sent somewhere else. Decades ago, pastors would not know where they would be assigned for the coming year, and churches wouldn’t know they were losing their pastor, until the final hour of annual conference. Fortunately, it does not work this way anymore; the bishop and district superintendent consult with churches and pastors months before they are moved. Every pastor fills out a form indicating if they feel their current assignment is a good fit for them, and the Staff Parish Committee of every church does the same.
On the form that I submitted months ago, I checked (as I have done for 33 years) that I feel Resurrection is a pretty good fit for me 😊 . Our Staff Parish Committee checked the same box for me and for our other pastors. We anticipate all of our current pastors to be returning for another year!
Adam
