Dear resurrection family,
September 11 was a Tuesday. None of us who were old enough then will ever forget where we were when we heard the news and saw the World Trade Centers fall. Or the fear and confusion and anger that filled our hearts. At that time, the Resurrection had only one place. We met in what is now the Student Center. There was only room to stand this weekend, when so many people came out to try to figure out what had happened, to cry, to find hope. I returned to reread the transcript of that sermon this week. I thought you might find it interesting too. Click here to watch the sermon.
This weekend we will continue our series on Paul’s letter to the Romans. Our verse to memorize this weekend sounds particularly poignant: Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good (Romans 12:21).
This week of worship
We will continue our series on the Romans and I will share a post titled Therefore… Dos and Don’ts! of Romans 12 and 13. Romans 12 is one of the great chapters of all scripture. After dedicating 11 chapters to describing the human condition, God’s mercy through Jesus, and God’s work in us through the Spirit, Paul now turns to the implications of this for how we live. our lives. Some of the clearest and most powerful verses about the Christian life are found in these chapters.
Remember to bring your Bible for tracking and a pen and paper for notes. And if you’re joining us in person and are a fan of the Chiefs, wear your red as the Chiefs kick off their season!
Celebrate Matthew’s Ministry
We will also have a “sweet” treat for you this weekend. This is Matthew’s Ministry Weekend, an annual event where we celebrate this incredible ministry that supports, empowers, and encourages individuals of all abilities to become deeply engaged Christians.
Through our daytime program for adult learners, Sonflower Bakery, a special youth group, Bible studies and family evenings, the Church of the Resurrection welcomes children and adults with special needs to fully engage in the life of our church. If you worship at any of our locations this weekend, we’ll have a special cookie – lovingly baked by our Sonflower bakers – for each of you. Here is a link where you can learn more about the history of Matthew’s ministry and how you can get involved in supporting these amazing families.
Sack Hunger Food Drive
Taking inspiration from the Kansas City Chiefs kicking off their season on Sunday, we’re kicking off our Sack Hunger fall food drive. We have two ways to get you to our biggest food drive of the year. First, you can pick up a bag of groceries and a shopping list at one of our locations this weekend, fill your bag with food, and then return it at our donation drop-off events in all of our locations. pitches on Saturday, September 18, between 9 and 11 a.m. or return during worship on September 26.
Second, if you can’t give physically, you can give financially. Simply use this link and select “Hunger” under Donation Type to donate online, and your donation will be used to purchase food. This food will supply pantries throughout the Kansas City area, including the Resurrection Overland Park pantry which provides food to 100 households per week and distributed to underserved areas through our new pantry. mobile.
Resurrection Mobile Pantry Dedication
Last year, our Ministry of Hunger proposed the purchase and equipping of a mobile pantry that would be used to transport fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and non-perishable items to areas of Kansas City where people do not have easy access to fruits, vegetables and meats. – areas sometimes called “food deserts”. You will have the chance to see the mobile resurrection pantry in the sermon this weekend, and if you are attending Leawood it will be outside the building from 8:30 am to 11:30 am so you can see it after the service. from 9 a.m. or before the 11am service.
I am really excited about the Mobile Food Pantry. Your donations made this possible. This 28-foot bus, equipped with 2 freezers, 3 refrigerators and shelves for produce and non-perishable goods began operating this week to meet critical needs in areas of our community.
The Foodmobile can meet people where they are and when they are available and provides a worthy personal choice experience, where families can select the food that meets their needs. Many pantries are only open a few hours on weekdays, and for working families who just can’t get by on their own, this is a hindrance. Your food and financial donations will help us use this new tool to serve our community and “Sack Hunger”.
The volunteers from the Ministry of Hunger coordinate our food drives, work with the pantries, sort and distribute the food and will operate the Food Mobile. Here is a link to find out more if you want to get more involved in this vital ministry.
Tomorrow’s Resurrection Auto Show
Hope to see you tomorrow (Saturday) at the Resurrection Car Show in the Resurrection Leawood parking lot at 137th and Nall. Bring your family and invite your friends and neighbors!
The cars are on display from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the results of the judgments at 1 p.m. The auto show is free to viewers and will feature lots of cool cars, as well as food trucks and our new mobile pantry for you to check out. Funds raised through registration and sales go to our hunger relief efforts and auto repair ministry. I love this event and will have my Mustang there.
Tuesday evening vespers
Join me this Tuesday evening for Vespers. I will come to you live as we watch Romans 12-13 and three passages that I don’t have time to cover in the sermon but find fascinating! Have your Bible with you. You can reach me at 7:30 p.m. PT on my Facebook page: Pastor Adam Hamilton on Facebook. You can also see it on my Facebook page or on cor.org/next after Tuesday evening.
Pro-retirement seminar
September 14, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. online
This is your last chance to register for the Pro-Retirement Seminar. If you are over 50, planning to retire in a few years, or have just retired, this seminar, with a list of renowned speakers, will provide you with tips and advice to prepare you for the next chapter of the life. Discover how to live with energy, determination and joy through four areas: wellness, leaving a legacy, relationships and spirituality. Here is the registration link.
Serve on saturday
September 19
I hope you make community service a way to put your faith into practice this fall! Our monthly Saturday service is a great way to start. We will have hundreds of opportunities to serve the community in a variety of ways, including morning and afternoon shifts, family and outdoor options.
To register, visit the registration site and choose where you want to serve. Some opportunities fill up quickly, so don’t wait.
Have you considered being part of a resurrection committee?
We are seeking a diverse group of people committed to the mission and ministry of our church to serve from 2022 on our Finance, Trustees, Church Staff Relations, Foundation and Appointments committees, and as delegates. lay people at the annual conference. In what interests you, here is a link where you can learn more about these committees and register. The deadline for applications is October 11.
COVID Update
Finally, I know many of us saw the President’s speech yesterday with the rollout of new policies regarding vaccination mandates in response to the growing number of cases, deaths and hospitalizations. We monitor this carefully and determine any impact on the church and our staff. In the meantime, can I just say once again: if you haven’t already, please get the vaccine! It is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community.
I would also like to strongly encourage you to wear masks. Each of our sites follows the requirements or recommendations of the city or county in which it is located. In Johnson County, masks are encouraged but not required. This week, a family member and several of my friends had revolutionary cases even though they had already been vaccinated. Three had mild symptoms, but still needed to be quarantined. One had more severe symptoms. When I’m inside and not eating and preaching, my mask is on for two reasons: first, if I got COVID, I hope to avoid spreading it, and second, because I want to avoid contracting it because I don’t want to have to quarantine.
I’ll share more on this next week, but mark your calendars for Tuesday, September 21, 7-8: 30pm. Instead of my weekly Vespers, our United Methodist Women are sponsoring an online presentation called “Pathway to Normalcy: Facts about the Delta Variant”. Experts from Johnson County Health & Environment, Truman Medical Center, Children’s Mercy and KU Medical Center will share facts about the COVID Delta variant, children’s health, breakthrough cases, protocols to reduce risk, immunizations for children and mental health.
Take time tomorrow to reflect on September 11 and how you can personally live your faith, showing others how love always triumphs over hate. It’s going to be a great weekend at Resurrection, and I can’t wait to worship with you!
In the love of Christ,
Adam
