Weekly Updates from Pastor Adam - Jan. 27, 2023

Dear Resurrection Family,

This weekend the Chiefs are playing in the AFC Championship Game! If you live in KC, wear your Chiefs’ gear to worship! Our Sunday night in-person service will be shorter than normal, and will be held from 4 to 4:45 pm, giving Chiefs fans a chance to make it home before the game, (or to make it to the game). Online the service will still be the regular length at 5 pm.

THIS WEEKEND: “TO TELL THE TRUTH”

“To Tell the Truth” is a popular television show that ran from 1956 to 1977, and was revived several times since. For the last six years, it has been hosted by Anthony Anderson. In the show a panel of celebrity guests is presented with three contestants, all claiming to have the same name, unusual occupation, or experience. The panel questions the contestants to determine which one is telling the truth and which two are imposters. Prize money was awarded based on how many panelists the contestants fooled. This seemed like an appropriate title for my sermon this weekend as we explore how we discern truth from fiction in the digital age.

Seventy-seven percent of you who responded to our survey on technology said that your top concern was the use of technology to spread misinformation. (As an aside, thank you to the 3,700 of you who took the survey!) This week we’ll look at “Fake news,” cybercrime, and conspiracy theories. I interviewed an IT expert, a security expert, and an award-winning Kansas City journalist this week to help us in discerning the truth from fiction, and protect ourselves or our loved ones from harm. Ultimately, we’ll be looking at what scripture teaches about telling the truth, and discerning what’s false, and how we can be part of the solution instead of the problem.

This will be an important message for all of us, and I hope you’ll invite a friend to join you for worship.

800 ATTEND SCREEN SANITY SUMMIT

We had a great turnout for our Screen Sanity Summit Wednesday night. More than 800 people joined us in person or online to learn how we can help our children and grandchildren (and ourselves) have healthy digital lives. The Screen Sanity organization has generously made its presentation available to view online if you weren’t able to attend. If you would like to watch the replay, it is only available for a week. They also have a variety of resources on their website that they invite you to check out and share with your friends.

RUSH TO SACK HUNGER FOOD DRIVE KICKS OFF

While the Chiefs are taking on their opponents at Arrowhead this weekend, we’re going to take on hunger in our community! This is when we hold our biggest food drive of the year to support families and individuals who are dealing with food insecurity. If you worship at any of our locations this weekend, you can pick up a grocery bag on your way out and fill it with the requested items. You can also donate online to this cause financially and our Hunger ministry will purchase food for you. You can watch a video and learn more about our Hunger Initiatives here.

VESPERS JANUARY 31

Join me on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 7:30 pm CST on my Pastor Adam Hamilton Facebook page. You can also replay Vespers at your convenience on our YouTube channel. I’ll be sharing a bit more about this weekend’s sermon – there was so much to share that I couldn’t fit it all in the sermon. We’ll cover a bit of that, and then look at next week’s sermon focused on If Jesus had had an iPhone.

COFFEE WITH THE PASTORS FEB. 5

Have you thought about joining and becoming an official member of Resurrection? Our process for joining is to attend a Coffee with the Pastors where I and other pastors share with you more about Resurrection – what we believe, who we are, and what is expected of our members. It is an inspiring event that will take place on Sunday, Feb. 5 from 2 to 4 pm at each of our locations. You’ll meet our pastors, learn about our beliefs, history and expectations; and, after a short break near the end, you’ll have a chance to join the church. Click here to register for our next Coffee with the Pastors!

GRANDKIDS NIGHT OUT FRIDAY, FEB. 10

Valentine’s Day is coming up and we’re offering a special date night just for grandparents and their grandkids (though we hope that means a date night for parents, too!) The event from 6 – 8 pm at our Leawood location will include dinner and a variety of activities for you to do together. The cost is $5 per person, and you can register online.

ATTENTION RESURRECTION WOMEN – DON’T MISS THIS!

Next Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3 and 4, our Inspired for Life Women’s Conference will be taking place at our Leawood location. I’m excited about this for our women, even though I’m only invited to give the opening welcome! We’ve got some exceptional speakers, and 800 women have already signed up. Kate Bowler is one of the speakers, I’ve heard her before and she’s great. She’s a professor at Duke Divinity School and a NYT Best Selling Author of five exceptional books. She’s just one of several amazing speakers. This year’s theme is “Believe,” and you won’t want to miss this amazing event for women of all ages. Click here to register now.

WHERE ARE YOU SERVING AND GROWING AT RESURRECTION?

–Small Groups – Enrollment is open now for small groups. Learn more and sign up here.

–Serve Trips – Registration is open for 2023 serve trips: spring break for families with children; global ministries; students’ summer trips. Click on the links to learn more.

–Tech Volunteers – We have openings for volunteers who work with our technical production team (lights, sound, video) and make worship and events happen at all Resurrection locations. Interested? Let us know here.

SHOOTING IN JERUSALEM

As I was preparing to send this eNote in, I just saw there had been a shooting in a synagogue in Jerusalem killing five. Over the last few weeks, there have been two mass shootings in California and now this one in Jerusalem. They are not connected except that in each case someone who was aggrieved tragically chose violence against a group of people as their means of addressing their aggrievement. I pray for healing for those who were impacted by the violence and long for a day when such attacks no longer happen.

In Israel, the aggrievement relates to the ongoing conflict and struggle between Palestinians and Israelis. The current conflict there is about land, human rights, and security. I’ve spent a great deal of time in the Holy Land, visiting with and listening to Palestinians and Israeli Jews. I feel the pain of both and long for a day when “justice rolls down like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

I mention this tragic shooting for two reasons: to invite you to pray for those impacted, both the Jews who were a part of the synagogue and who lost their friends and family, and also for both Palestinians and Israelis as both seek to address the underlying causes of this conflict.

I also mention it because I’m leading two groups from Resurrection to the Holy Land in two weeks and I know events like this lead to fear and uncertainty not only among the people in the Holy Land but for those traveling there as well. I’ve traveled to the Holy Land during periods of heightened conflict, and virtually every time I go there is some kind of conflict. Our tour company has been leading groups for 50 years and they’ve never had an incident of violence against a tour group. They are aware of where to take people and where to avoid. I feel as confident about going to the Holy Land in February as I would about leading a group to California to visit the beach. I grieve the violence that happened in the synagogue, and the underlying pain and conflict in the land. And having led many groups there, I have confidence that the trip will be safe and deeply meaningful.

I’m excited to see you in worship this weekend as we gather to learn several simple rules for living our faith and working for good on social media!

In Christ’s love,

Adam