January 18, 2008

Dear Resurrection Family,

I just arrived back in town last night from a series of meetings in Houston focused on the revitalization of the United Methodist Church. The first two days were spent with a gathering of pastors of the 20 largest churches in Methodism. Organizing this group was a part of our strategic plan here at the church for 2007. We held our first meeting last year with the 10 largest churches. In the fall we'll gather the pastors of the 100 largest churches. The aim of the group is to look at the ways the largest churches in our denomination can work together for the revitalization of the church.

The second set of meetings began Wednesday night and continued through Thursday afternoon. Those meetings included key leaders in our denomination also concerned with the revitalization of the church and specifically focusing on inviting outstanding young adults to consider God's call to ordained ministry.

Here's why I believe this is important, and why I am investing my time in it: Since 1964 the population of the United States has increased by 54% while the membership of the United Methodist Church has declined by 27%. A more telling statistic in predicting the future is that the number of children involved in Sunday School in our churches has declined from 1,500,000 in 1964 to 318,000 in 2005. And, as this would indicate, the average age of our membership as a denomination is now close to 60. We're also seeing this trend in our clergy. In 1985 when I started seminary over 3,000 of our pastors were under 35. In 2005 that number dropped to only 850. Of our 17,000 active clergy, only 5% are under 35.

These two groups are seeking to turn these trends around. This is a part of our vision here at the church, and I think this vision can become a reality. I'll tell you more about the meetings in Houston next Friday evening at our All Church Gathering (see below). There are some exciting things coming up this weekend at church I want to make sure you know about…

1. This Weekend in Worship: How Should We Live? The Ethics of Jesus
2. Don't Miss This: Authors of Same Kind of Different As Me Here Saturday at 2:00 pm
3. Register to Vote in the Narthex This Weekend
4. Opportunity to Change the World: Leaders to Help with Annual Missions Auction
5. Resurrection Night at the Movies Monday Night
6. All Church Gathering - Fellowship, Inspiration, Voting, and Vision Casting
7. New Sunday Night Choir - How cool is this?! And Still Room for You!
8. Martin Luther King workday/FaithWorks

1. This Weekend in Worship: How Should We Live? The Ethics of Jesus
What is your moral compass? How do you decide what is right and what is wrong? How do you determine what you believe about the important ethical issues of our time? What role does your faith, and the teachings of Jesus play in this? We'll look at the ethics of Jesus this week in worship and three questions that can guide you in your daily life and help you think about important social issues as we continue in our series of sermons on Seeing Gray: Faith, Morality and Politics in a Black and White World.

2. Don't Miss This: Authors of Same Kind of Different As Me Here Saturday at 2:00 pm
I've been reading a wonderful book this week entitled, Same Kind of Different as Me, co-written by two men who became unlikely friends. Ron was a successful art dealer, Denver a homeless man staying at a Dallas shelter. Ron's wife, Debbie, believed her husband was losing his soul in the midst of a jet setting lifestyle, and insisted that he serve meals with her at the homeless shelter. Debbie discovers she has cancer, from which she eventually dies, but not before she brought these two men together in a way that changed them, and will inspire you. At 2:00 pm tomorrow (Saturday) Ron and Denver will be here telling their story. Don't miss this!

3. Register to Vote in the Narthex This Weekend
If you are not registered to vote, you can do so this weekend in the Narthex.

4. Opportunity to Change the World: Leaders to Help with Annual Missions Auction
In the last fourteen years we've raised over $900,000 for missions - building Habitat Houses here in Kansas City and churches around the world.  The largest source of this income has been our annual auction. The year's auction will help us raise money to build a house (or two) for Habitat and to build a church building for a Methodist Church near Durban, South Africa. We're in need of 25 to 30 committed leaders who are creative go-getters - people who will help solicit donations for the auction. Area businesses and individuals love to give items for the auctions, they just need to be asked. Would you be a part of this team and help us change the world? Without this team the auction cannot go forward. Invite a friend to join you and contact Kent Baker at kent_baker@ml.com (there is an underscore between his first and last name) or at 913-906-5253.

5. Resurrection Night at the Movies Monday Night
Monday night, January 21, Martin Luther King evening, we have a theater reserved at AMC Studio 30 at 119th Street and I-35 for a special showing of The Great Debaters. This is a terrific film, and one I know you'll enjoy. It is rated PG13. Tickets are available at the Well Bookstore and at Resurrection West this weekend. Tickets are $9.00 each. I hope you'll join me for a great evening of fellowship and inspiration. Bring your Sunday School class, small group, or neighbors. I'll give a brief introduction to the film so be in your seat at 6:50 pm.

6. All Church Gathering - Fellowship, Inspiration, Voting, and Vision Casting
A week from today, Friday, February 25, we'll be holding our all-church gathering. We'll begin with a fellowship supper including chili and soup. Then we'll have our annual business meeting where you vote on our officers, the church budget and my compensation package. Following this, we'll have a time of worship during which I'll share with you some of the successes and accomplishments of 2007 and the direction we're heading as a church in 2008. Join us for a great evening of food, fellowship and inspiration!

7. New Sunday Night Choir - How cool is this?! And Still Room for You!
This last Sunday night we launched a new Sunday night choir and it was terrific! We had 120 people who sang that night and they seemed to have a great time. The choir sings during the first part of worship, leading us in worship along with the band, and then they return to their seats for the rest of worship. If you'd like to be a part of the choir, simply show up at 4:15 pm on Sunday afternoon to rehearse the songs and you're in! The choir meets just behind the Sanctuary in the choir rehearsal room.

8. Martin Luther King workday/FaithWork
Finally, this weekend we are offering two FaithWork events where you can join other Resurrection members in Christian service. Monday is close to full, but we have lots of space on Saturday at 9:00 am. Just show up at the church ready to work, and you'll have a chance to go serve at one of 14 different locations throughout Kansas City. For details contact Cathy Swirbul at Cathy.Swirbul@cor.org or go to the website at www.cor.org/faithwork.

This will be a great weekend at Church of the Resurrection!

See you in worship.

Adam