Weekly Updates from Pastor Adam - July 8, 2022

Dear Resurrection Family,

I hope you enjoyed your 4th of July celebration! As we celebrated our nation’s freedom, I was reminded of the powerful vision for our country preserved in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men [people] are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” I’m proud to be part of a congregation that continues to recognize the value of all people.

THIS WEEKEND IN WORSHIP: Cleaning Out the Muck!

I’m excited to be back in the pulpit again this weekend as we continue our summer revival with our theme, God and Tractors! My message is entitled, Cleaning Out the Muck! LaVon and I have pond on our property in Stilwell — about a half to three-quarters of an acre. Over the last five years it was overrun with cattails and algae, silting in; and by last summer, the hundreds of fish in my pond died. So in September, a trackhoe company brought out two trackhoes a bulldozer and a bobcat, drained my pond, excavated a massive amount of muck, and gave my pond a new start. It filled up this spring and it is, once again, teaming with life. I documented all of this with my phone, and I’m going to share it with you this weekend as a metaphor for the spiritual life — how we allow things the spiritual equivalent of cattails, algae, muck and slime into our hearts and minds, and from time to time it has to be cleaned out; we need to be spiritually excavated, and, in the words of Jesus, “born again.” I think you’ll find the message fun, interesting, poignant and powerful.

I wonder, what’s the muck in your spiritual life – your thoughts and actions – that may need to be excavated or mucked out by God?

Here’s a picture of the pond before we began excavating, and the second, of what it looks like today. I’m going to invite you to see this kind of transformation happen in your spiritual life this weekend!

Heritage Tractor will have John Deere Tractors at our Leawood, Olathe (West), Overland Park and Blue Springs locations. It’s going to be a great weekend in worship!

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:

• 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 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

SPECIAL CHURCH CONFERENCE TO VOTE ON NEW RESURRECTION LOCATION

All are invited to attend a special church conference on Saturday, July 16, at 9 am, where church members will vote to determine if Central UMC, near the Plaza and Brookside, will become a new Resurrection location. We will gather in the Wesley Chapel, but also stream the gathering online, with voting electronically. I hope you’ll join me – this is an exciting and historic decision for our church. We’ll share more information and answer your questions; then, invite you to pray and finally to vote. As I shared last week, the members of Central United Methodist Church, Kansas City’s oldest Protestant Church, located at 5144 Oak, voted to officially seek to become a location of Resurrection. The next step is our decision. Click here for more information.

RUMMAGE SALE THIS WEEK!

This week you can donate, volunteer, shop and make the world a better place! Resurrection’s United Women in Faith sponsors our annual Rummage Sale to support grants to organizations benefiting women, children and youth both locally and globally. The Rummage Sale is ONLY accepting and selling furniture, children’s clothing, patio furniture, bicycles and lamps this year. If you’ve never been, don’t miss this – it is amazing with enough merchandise to fill a small shopping mall — in good shape and selling at bargain prices. Here’s the schedule to participate:

Donate:

• Sunday, July 10, 2 pm – 6 pm
• Monday, July 11, 8 am – 6 pm
• Curbside Leawood Building B East Entrance
• Register for furniture pick up

Volunteer:

• July 10-16
• Register here

Shop:

• Thursday, July 14, 9 am – 6 pm
• Friday, July 15, 9 am – 6 pm
• Details here

A CONVERSATION ABOUT FAITH AND ABORTION

On Wednesday, July 27, Resurrection will host a panel discussion about Faith and Abortion at 6:30 pm at our Leawood location. It will also be live streamed. We have a remarkable line-up of Resurrection women who will be speaking including Dr. Michelle Lentell, a board certified Obstetrician Gynecologist; Dr. Brenda Shoup, a Gynecological Oncologist, both of whom will help us understand the process of conception, embryonic and fetal development and birth as well as questions around birth control. US District Judge Julie Robinson will help us understand the legal questions related to abortion since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. I’ll have an anonymous survey in next week’s e-note in which you’ll have a chance to share your views on the question of faith and abortion – we have passionate members on both sides of this issue. We’ll try to listen and understand those on either side of the issue and to look to see if there is any common ground between the two. I’ll close the forum sharing the data from the survey, and asking how the Bible speaks to the question of abortion. Mark your calendars and plan to join us in person or online. Click here for more information.

SERVE SATURDAY JULY 16

Get you family and friends together and sign up today for Serve Saturday next weekend. This is a great opportunity to serve together get to know the ministries inside and outside of our church that meet critical needs of our community. Go to cor.org/serve and view the numerous sites we’ve committed to serving this month and sign up!

SPECIAL EVENT AUGUST 27 JUST FOR 6TH GRADERS!

At Resurrection, 6th grade is when you become part of our rezlife Student Ministry. If you are a 6th grader (or the parent or grandparent of one), we have a great event coming up on Saturday, August 27, just for you! “Belong” is an all day event at Youthfront Camp West, and your official introduction to Student Ministry. Spend the day meeting other 6th graders, awesome adult leaders and volunteers, and having fun while you play games, swim, worship and get to know each other. Check out cor.org/students for more information.

BUILDING COMMITTEES FORMING AT ALL LOCATIONS

Each Resurrection location is developing a Building Committee to pray, plan and prepare for potential construction projects. The committees will be composed of engaged members who bring diverse abilities and perspectives, including some leaders with design, construction, financial or legal expertise. Your location pastor’s email on Tuesday will include a video from me and your pastor with more details and a link to a form to indicate your interest.

JULY 12 VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE, ADVANCE VOTING BEGINS JULY 13

Last night I texted my request for an advance ballot so I can vote in the August 2 vote in Kansas as I’ll be out of town that day. This is super easy to request. For information on how to register, registration deadlines, the candidates’ websites and details on what’s on the ballot check out this non-partisan site compiled by KCUR by clicking here. Your voice and vote matters.

NO TUESDAY NIGHT VESPERS THIS WEEK; JOIN US JULY 19

This Tuesday, July 12, is my birthday. I turn 58! I am going to take this Tuesday night off from Vespers so I can celebrate my birthday with LaVon, but I’ll be back with Vespers on Tuesday, July 19, at 7:30 pm central time. On that night, 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 on the 19^th by following my Facebook page: Pastor Adam Hamilton on Facebook for Tuesday Vespers. If you’ve missed some previous Vespers, you can watch them on the Vespers YouTube page.

LAST CHANCE TO SIGN YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN UP FOR VACATION BIBLE CAMP!

We’re going to have an awesome Vacation Bible Camp this year at all of our locations built around our theme, Hero U! Games, crafts, snacks, music, drama, service and a study of four great Bible passages that help us see what it means to follow Jesus and how we can unleash the superhero in each child. LaVon is volunteering all week, and I’ll be participating throughout the week; and, we’re excited that our granddaughter will be there to learn and grow and have a blast! We still have spots available for your kids and spots for those who can volunteer. Find out more or register by clicking here.

PREACHING AND SPEAKING IN HOUSTON AND LUFKIN, TEXAS JULY 31 AND AUGUST 1

If you live in the Houston or Lufkin, Texas areas, or have friends who do, I’ll be preaching on Sunday morning, July 31 at Chapelwood UMC on The Lord’s Prayer. Then, I’ll be speaking Sunday night in Houston and Monday evening in Lufkin about the future of the United Methodist Church. I’ll have more information next Friday, but wanted to give you a heads up.

 

I’m excited to be in worship and preaching this weekend! I will be preaching live at the Leawood location on Sunday at 7:30, 9, 11 am and 5 pm services.

In Christ’s Love,

Adam