Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - September 18, 2026

September 18, 2026

Dear Resurrection Family,

September is National Recovery Month, and this week Resurrection will be highlighting this important ministry at several of our locations. Resurrection Recovery is for anyone in our community dealing with personal addiction, family addiction, or mental health care. We offer faith-based, 12-step, and community groups meeting across our Resurrection locations, along with educational events throughout the year. Pastoral support is also available: one-on-one conversations for individuals and families to talk through their situation and explore available resources. You can learn more about available resources after worship this weekend or on our website here. I also have details below about a special remembrance service on Sept. 26 at our Brookside location for anyone carrying grief tied to addiction.

THIS WEEKEND – PHILIPPIANS: IMITATING CHRIST’S HUMILITY

This week we continue a sermon series on the book of Philippians, a letter the Apostle Paul wrote from behind the bars of a Roman prison, by focusing on the second chapter of Philippians. Here, Paul teaches us what humility looks like by following Jesus’ example. This powerful series explores how we can live a life filled with generosity, gratitude, kindness and joy. Pastor Wendy Lyons Chrostek from our Brookside location will be preaching at Leawood, online and on television, and our location pastors will be sharing the message at their locations. Here is a video promo you can share to invite a friend.

We will also celebrate first graders in worship at each of our locations as they join us to pray the Lord’s Prayer with the congregation. They have been learning this prayer as part of our Faith Milestones for each elementary grade. If you have a first grader, plan to join us for a special retreat on Sunday where the first graders and their grown-ups will make a prayer craft to take home and use together. Register here.

SERVING OUR COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD

I can’t tell you how proud I am of the way you are making a difference in our community and the world by sharing Christ’s love through serving others. In case you haven’t seen it, we have an amazing Missions Blog where our teams share stories of the many ways we are serving locally and globally. Your generosity and love are changing individual lives and communities! Check it out. In addition to the Missions Blog, on this page you can download our 2025 Missions Annual Report, find links to learn about our local, global and justice ministries, and see upcoming serve opportunities.

“SAY THEIR NAMES” SPECIAL MEMORIAL SERVICE SEPT. 26 AT BROOKSIDE

Most of us know someone whom we have lost because of addiction. Anyone who is carrying that grief tied to addiction is invited to a special memorial service on Sat., Sept. 26, at 7 pm at Resurrection Brookside. This memorial service is built around remembering, naming, and speaking aloud the names of the people in our lives we’ve lost because of addiction. There will be meaningful moments of worship, prayer and quiet reflection. Everyone is welcome; please share this with your friends. Details can be found here.

CHURCH LEADERSHIP NOMINATIONS

We are currently seeking volunteer leaders to serve on key committees and elected positions in 2027. Committees include Finance, Trustees, Staff Parish Relations, Foundation, Nominations, and Lay Delegates to Annual Conference. If you are interested in serving the church in this capacity, check out the committee descriptions and requirements here.Applications are due on Monday, October 5.

FINAL THOUGHTS …

Finally, I intentionally don’t share campaign-related activities in my eNote. If you want to know about the campaign, you have to follow me online. But when people publicly say things about you as a congregation, the church sometimes needs to respond to correct the record, for the sake of our ministry in the community.

This week, your Church Council issued a statement calling public figures and all of us “to speak accurately about the church and its ministries”, and they spoke about our core values and positive impact on the community. If you missed that statement, you can read it here. Additionally, Rev. Dr. David Wilson, our Bishop who oversees the United Methodist Church in the states of Kansas and Nebraska, issued a statement in response to feeling saddened by the “inaccurate and unwarranted” accusations and criticisms that have been leveled against our church. Instead, he said he sees us as a congregation “showing up for God’s love by showing compassion to the less fortunate and by welcoming people from all walks of life.” You can read his full statement here.

Some of you had questions about television commercials and postcards that have repeatedly claimed that I took church money and sponsored “drag queen children’s story hour.” Yesterday one of you sent me a picture of the latest postcard (which LaVon and I had also received in the mail) and asked, “Is this true?”

Here are the facts: For years, Resurrection has been one of more than 60 sponsors representing a wide range of business, religious and civic organizations at the Kansas City PrideFest. The list of vendors, sponsors and community partners includes some of the most respected institutions in our community, law enforcement organizations, and at least 20 other churches.By participating alongside neighbors, families, community organizations, and other supporters, the church affirms that each person is worthy of dignity, respect, and belonging. At the event, our volunteers have handed out water, remembering Christ’s words, “I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink.” They also shared information about Resurrection and invited people to our church. In doing so, they expressed Christ’s love to people—many of whom are not involved in a congregation because churches have hurt and rejected them in the past. Our volunteers’ presence reflected a simple but meaningful commitment to celebrate the diversity that makes our city stronger.

I didn’t personally “take money from the church” to do this—though I am proud of our church’s ministry and witness in the community—and I didn’t know there was a “drag queen story time” at the PrideFest until these ads came out. But it would not have mattered; postcards and TV ads like the ones being run are the very reason our people were there to convey the love of Christ, and I’m proud of them for that.

I love you, Resurrection, and I am so proud of who you are, and how you seek to be the presence of Christ in the world. We’ve been doing that for 36 years as followers of Jesus Christ, who was himself condemned by the Pharisees and Sadducees who accused him of associating with people they reviled, the “sinners and tax collectors” of their day.

Adam

COMING UP AT RESURRECTION…

Learn more about these and other opportunities to worship, study, serve, share and give at cor.org/next.

Find Your Purpose Event, Sat., Sept. 19 – Explore what it looks like to live with deeper meaning at this special program with breakfast, speaker presentation and great conversations, 8 am – 1 pm, at Resurrection Leawood. Details and register here.
Serve Saturday, Sept. 19 – Spend part of your morning serving our neighbors in the metro. Just select where you want to serve and sign up here.
The Longest Table Event Sat., Sept. 26, noon at Resurrection Brookside – Host a table and invite your friends to an extraordinary gathering along the scenic Trolley Trail as you share lunch, conversation, connection, and community! Learn more about hosting a table or about being part of this amazing experience here!
Resurrection Car Show Sat., Oct. 3, at Resurrection Leawood – Enjoy great cars and family fun from 10 am – 1 pm, with food trucks, inflatables, and other family-friendly activities for everyone to enjoy. We also have opportunities for you to exhibit your car. Learn more here.
Meet Resurrection Window Creator Tim Carey – Oct. 5 at 4 pm or 6 pm, or Oct. 6 at 9 am at Resurrection Leawood. Space is limited, so register for a session here.
Fall Retreats for Students – 6th through 8th graders are invited to the Meta retreat, Nov. 13-14 at Resurrection Leawood, and high schoolers to the Activate retreat, Nov. 20-22 at YouthFront Camp. Both include overnight stays, meals, a hoodie, snacks, games, worship, and plenty of time to just be with friends. Learn more and register here.

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.

Learn More About What's Happening Now at Your Location

WEATHER ALERT:

IMPORTANT:

Weekly Update from Pastor Adam - September 18, 2026

THIS WEEKEND – PHILIPPIANS: IMITATING CHRIST’S HUMILITY

SERVING OUR COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD

“SAY THEIR NAMES” SPECIAL MEMORIAL SERVICE SEPT. 26 AT BROOKSIDE

CHURCH LEADERSHIP NOMINATIONS

FINAL THOUGHTS …

COMING UP AT RESURRECTION…

Adam Hamilton

Resurrection Senior Pastor

Learn More About What's Happening Now at Your Location

Leawood

West

Downtown

Blue Springs

Overland Park

Brookside

Spring Hill

Liberty

Lee's Summit

Online & TV