Weekly Updates from Pastor Adam - July 15, 2022

Dear Resurrection Family,

I hope you are doing well today! I’m really excited about this weekend and the week ahead! You’ll see why below. Also, please read to the end, I have a survey I’d like you to take related to abortion – it is relatively brief, but I think you’ll find the questions of interest and the data helpful.

THIS WEEKEND IN WORSHIP: YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER…THE HOLY SPIRIT AND TRACTORS

The wheat harvest is nearly over in Kansas, and this weekend we’ll learn a bit about harvesting wheat, the history of tractors (I’ve got some cool very old tractors to show you by video!), and the connection between tractors and the Holy Spirit as we continue our Summer Revival focused on God and Tractors. As a guy who loves tractors, I had fun preparing this week’s message, and I learned a lot about tractors and wheat harvesting. I also read each of the 300 passages in the New Testament on the Holy Spirit. I hope this message will help you as we think together about the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. If you are looking for a dynamic spiritual life, a deeper experience of God and more power in your life, please don’t miss worship this weekend! By the way, here’s a photo of my grandmother (my mom’s mom who died before I was born), my great uncle, and my great aunt Celia Belle whom some of you knew (all siblings) and their friend harvesting wheat in Oklahoma in the 1930’s. I love this picture!

INVITE A FRIEND TO JOIN US FOR WORSHIP THIS WEEKEND

Invite your family and friends to join you in person at one of our five locations, or online or television.

• Leawood location at 7:30 am in Wesley Chapel, 9 am in Sanctuary, and 11 am traditional in Sanctuary and modern in Foundry, or 5 pm in Sanctuary
• Downtown location Saturday at 5 pm or Sunday at 9 or 11 am
• Blue Springs, Olathe (West) and Overland Park locations Sunday at 9 or 11 am
• Online at cor.org/live on Saturday at 5 pm or Sunday at 7:30, 9 and 11 am or 5 pm
• On KMCI Channel 38 television on Sunday at 8 am or 11 am
• On demand on YouTube throughout the week

DON’T FORGET IMPORTANT CHURCH CONFERENCE TOMORROW

Here’s the second thing I’m excited about: tomorrow we have a special church-wide Church Conference at 9 am in Wesley Chapel, and we have several important and historic votes. The first is to vote on one of our members who is a candidate for ordained ministry – a special privilege. The second is to vote to form building committees at each of our locations for renovations or building additions being proposed at each location. I’ll walk you through these.

And finally, we will vote on whether we’ll approve Central UMC at 51st and Brookside as a new location of Church of the Resurrection. This is an historic vote and remarkable opportunity. Central has about 75 deeply committed people who regularly attend, a building that is beautiful and strategically located near the Plaza and Brookside, and they helped give us birth 32 years ago (over the last 177 years they also helped birth the KCMO school district, UMKC, Kingswood Manor, Shepherd’s Center of America and more). Below is are photos of Central UMC.

All are invited to this gathering where we will share more information and answer your question, invite you to pray, and then those of you who are members will have the opportunity vote. This link will be live tomorrow morning if you want to participate online.

SERVE SATURDAY TOMORROW

We have about 18 spots still open for Serve Saturday tomorrow between 9 am and noon. This is a great way each month for individuals, families and groups to serve together and get to know the ministries inside and outside of our church that meet critical needs of our community.

Sign up online today! →

SUPPORTING OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS

One of Resurrection’s Vision 2030 Goals is to close the Opportunity Gap – breaking the cycle of poverty for children in Kansas City, giving each child the possibility of attaining a future with hope. We are focused on education, which is one of the most effective ways to close this gap. Currently we support 10 elementary schools, one after-school tutoring program, four pre-K programs and three global partner schools. As we prepare for a new school year, we have several ways you can help support our partner schools, children and families.

First, this week we launched a school supply drive for our partner schools and foster children and youth. At worship this weekend, you can pick up a bag that lists the supplies needed, purchase the supplies and return the bag to church. You can also find the list on the website here. If you’d prefer, you can also donate toward the purchase of supplies and school uniforms. $40 purchases basic supplies for one student. Use this link to donate.

If you are interested in getting more involved in this life-changing ministry, join us for informational meetings next month, and learn more about our Partner School and Pre-K initiatives. Here’s the link for more information and to sign up.

TUESDAY NIGHT VESPERS

Join me for Vespers on Tuesday, July 19, at 7:30 pm central time. My subject will be Hell – Is it real? Who goes there? Is it eternal punishment? These are questions you’ve asked me, and we’ll look to the scripture and think theologically about this question. Join me by following my Facebook page: Pastor Adam Hamilton on Facebook for Tuesday Vespers. After Tuesday night you can watch on the Vespers YouTube page

NEARLY 1,200 KIDS, 300 VOLUNTEERS AT VBC THIS COMING WEEK!

Next week is one of the most exciting weeks of the year as close to 1,200 children and over 300 volunteer leaders gather at our five locations for Vacation Bible Camp. For many of these children and their families, this will be their first connection with our church. I am so excited about this and will be popping in to see the kids and showing up in the videos as well. Next weekend we’ll get a report from VBC and our kids will be assisting in worship. Will you join me next week in praying for all the children and their leaders?

RUMMAGE SALE ENDS TODAY AT 6 PM

There has been a terrific response to our rummage sale yesterday and today, but lots of great merchandise remains with markdowns happening this afternoon. It’s been quite a sale taking place at our Leawood location’s Foundry.

WOMEN AND MEN, PLEASE TAKE THE FAITH AND ABORTION SURVEY

In preparation for our Forum, Conversations on Faith and Abortion, we’re surveying you to invite you to share your perspectives on abortion. We often think of the debate as between two sides: pro-life and pro-choice, but it is a bit more nuanced than that. In the survey there are 13 different positions listed that one might take on abortion, and there are many more. I’ll share the results first at our forum on July 27, then in my enote that Friday. Here’s the link. It will take about five minutes for most people to respond to the survey

I look forward to worship with you this weekend!

In Christ’s Love,

Adam