August 24, 2007
Dear Resurrection Family,
This has been a difficult week for a number of families in our church. Our pastors will have officiated at eight different funerals for members of our church and family of members. This includes the death of a little boy named Ben who died in an accident in an area swimming pool - Ben was baptized here just this summer - and, just yesterday, Jason Brown the 33 year old son of Myron and Nancy Brown. I am reminded, on week's like this, of how fragile life really is, and of the ultimate source of our hope. In the face of death we find help from others, but hope only from God.
This weekend we'll continue our sermon series on The Voyage by focusing on Surviving the Storms at Sea. The topic could not be any more timely. We'll look at the kind of storms that will inevitably come in life, and we'll turn to the stories of Noah, Jonah and Peter to see how storms might change us. Finally, I'll share with you what I've learned from the scriptures, from my own experiences with people who've survived tragedy, and from the insights of others who've walked in dark places, how we can survive storms in life. This will be an important message and I'd like to encourage you to invite a friend to join you. Everyone you know will need this message at some time in their lives, including you.
Here's what I'll cover in today's e-mail:
1. Phillips Elementary School - Resurrection You've Made a Difference
2. A Labor Day to Remember!
3. Internet Campus of Church of the Resurrection?
4. Attention KU and K-State Alums, Parents, Fans!
1. Phillips Elementary School - Resurrection You've Made a Difference
You may recall that one of our local mission projects this summer was Phillips Elementary School. This school, located in one of the most economically depressed parts of Kansas City, was in need of repainting and refurbishing. I wanted you to know the results of your work there this summer: 1,075 volunteers from our church spent four weeks doing prep work and repairs and then two weeks in a painting blitz. You repainted 72 rooms including the gym, library, auditorium, cafeteria and offices, as well as every classroom and hallway. We cleaned equipment, replaced ceiling tiles, re-polished woodwork. I'm told that we exceeded the school's expectations in every way. The school district facilities staff estimated that the value of our work exceeded $150,000. Thanks to you we also provided $12,000 in school supplies - 218 fully loaded backpacks for every child who could not afford their own. KidsCOR provided a Back-to-School Brunch for all teachers and staff and provided denim book bags for all teachers. Our children's Sunday School offerings will help with various projects throughout the year. All of the teachers were also provided golf umbrellas with tags that said, "This umbrella is a symbol of the love and care that blanketed your school this summer. May it shelter you from sun and rain and remind you of the thousands of volunteers who love and serve our community every day, Blessings to you from the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection." In addition the Resurrection West leadership team is delivering personal notes from our church to each of the teachers and staff at Phillips thanking them for what they do for children. It would be difficult for me to put into words how very proud I am of each of you for what you've done. In a few weeks I'll share with you video footage from the school during a worship service so you can see first hand what happened as a result of your efforts.
2. A Labor Day to Remember!
Just a reminder that we'll have one giant worship service on Labor Day Weekend at Starlight. This will be a weekend to remember - we'll join with St. James United Methodist Church in a service of community. We'll have a 250 voice choir, praise and gospel bands, great fellowship; Emmanuel Cleaver and I will each preach part of the message, and we'll conclude with Gate's Barbecue and other food from various vendors at Starlight, and a chance to go to the zoo for all who would like to enjoy the Kansas City zoo. This service is a chance for us to break down the racial walls in Kansas City and to express the unity that Christ brings. It will be a powerful time of worship. We have discount tickets for the zoo for sale in the Narthex this weekend, and free bus passes for those who would like to ride in air conditioned busses dropping you right off at the door of Starlight. Pick up your passes this weekend at The Well (our bookstore), or you can make your reservations by clicking this link.
3. Internet Campus of Church of the Resurrection?
I have been feeling an increasing tug on my heart that we should develop an Internet Campus of the Church of the Resurrection. The goal of this site would be to offer church for both the unchurched for whom this will be a first step towards becoming a part of the church (either ours, or if they are from another city, a church in their community - we would look at having links in major cities for people to find a church that had been to our Leadership Institute), but also exploring what it means to be the church for the next generation. We're pulling together a team of staff to explore what an Internet version of Church of the Resurrection might look like and how it fits into our mission of "building a Christian community where non-religious and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians." If you have any thoughts on this topic, e-mail me in care of my assistant, Sue Thompson at sue.thompson@cor.org. I'll share your ideas in our upcoming meeting.
4. Attention KU and K-State Alums, Parents, Fans!
Do you have a love for KU or K-State? Coming up on October 20 at the Overland Park Marriott we're helping to host the Cat-Hawk Challenge - a great evening of fun and food and fellowship designed to support the United Methodist Campus Ministries at KU and K-State. LaVon and I will sponsor a table there and I hope some of you will sponsor a table and invite all your KU or K-State friends to join you. To find out more about this event or to sponsor a table, please e-mail your name, school you attended, and complete mailing address to my assistant, Sue Thompson at sue.thompson@cor.org, and I'll send you the information. It's going to be a blast, and a chance to help reach students and help them grow in their faith.
One last thing I wanted to share with you. As I walked into the church this morning I noticed a number of vans and mini-busses pulling in to the church from area nursing homes. They were dropping senior adults off at the Wesley Chapel. I stepped into the chapel to find out what was happening and learned that our Silverlink Ministry was offering a worship service specifically designed for persons with Alzheimer's. The service included music, liturgy and prayers that might evoke a memory for those with Alzheimer's. It was so moving to see what was happening. Our staff and volunteers were offering such beautiful love and care. This service is typical of so many things that happen here at the church that most of us never hear about, but which are expressions of the love of Christ and the mission of our church. You, by your support of time, talent and resources, make things like this happen ever day.
Please don't miss this weekend in worship. I know that each of you and each of your friends will go through storms in life - some very severe. We're going to learn how we survive these storms this weekend.
In Christ's Love,
Adam Hamilton