September 1, 2006
Dear Resurrection Family,
I hope this e-mail finds you doing well. We're gearing up for a great weekend in worship - I hope that if you are in town you'll plan to be here and bring a friend. I'll tell you a bit more about this weekend's worship below.
Here's what I'll cover in today's e-mail:
1. Rev. Lowell Thuma Passed This Week. Services Tomorrow Morning.
2. 698 Attend Week Two at Resurrection West!!!
3. Join Daystar at Starlight Tonight!
4. An Excellent Radio Program Sunday Mornings Before Church.
5. No 7:45 am Service This Weekend - 7:45 am Resumes September 10.
6. Youth Group, Children's Ministries Surge Ahead.
7. This Weekend's Message: Are You a Daily Driver or a Trailer Queen?
1. Rev. Lowell Thuma Passed This Week. Services Tomorrow Morning.
Twelve years ago a short, balding, retired preacher began attending our worship services with his wife. In the years since, Rev. Lowell Thuma and his wife Jean became an important part of our congregation. Lowell would look around at the Church of the Resurrection with marvel and say, "Adam, I prayed my whole ministry for a United Methodist Church like this one. You don't understand what joy I feel being here - I literally prayed for years for a church like this one." Is it possible that who we are today as a church is God's response to this man's prayers over the years? None of us knows all that goes into shaping how God's plans unfold.
Lowell was a source of great encouragement to so many. He organized a Sunday School class for senior adults. He would stand in the Narthex and greet and welcome people as they came in. His humility and servant's heart were only overshadowed by his genuine love for Christ and his love for people. I'll tell you a bit more about him at the conclusion of this weekend's message - he modeled for me and for so many what the Christian life can look like. Tomorrow morning we'll celebrate his life in the Wesley Covenant Chapel. The visitation is at 10:00 am and the service will be at 11:00 am.
Lowell left me notes for his funeral service - he had typed these some years ago. He noted, "I would want my funeral service to be a service of worship and praise to God." His life motto was, "Excellence in all things to the glory of God." Lowell loved this church. More than that, he loved God. I have no doubt on the day of his passing he heard those words, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Please keep Lowell's wife, Jean, in your prayers. She is a remarkable servant of Christ.
2. 698 Attend Week Two at Resurrection West!!!
A quick update on Resurrection West: We had 698 in attendance at Resurrection West this past weekend. This is very exciting. Most new churches see their attendance drop to half of their opening day of worship - but Resurrection West remained at nearly 700 in week two. We've had a large number of new visitors and there is a spirit of excitement at what God is doing in this new campus/congregation. We had a few video glitches last week but these have been resolved. 30 teenagers showed up last week for a fellowship event. Plans are being made to launch a second hour of Sunday School for children and the staff is looking at ways of creating greater capacity as the church continues to grow. We'll send out information to the community in a month when we mark the official launch of the congregation.
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3. Join Daystar at Starlight Tonight!
Tonight Lance and the Daystar Band are going to play at Starlight for the Rock the Light concert. There will be dozens of bands playing over the next two days for this, the largest contemporary Christian concert in the Midwest. Casting Crowns will also perform tonight. Daystar will play from 5:30 to 6:00 tonight - if you can get away from work a bit early, plan to join them at the main stage at Starlight. For more information about Rock the Light click on this web link: www.rockthelight.com.
4. An Excellent Radio Program Sunday Mornings Before Church.
This last Sunday morning I was driving to church about 6:45 and tuned into a radio program that was excellent. I typically listen to Christian music on my way to worship, and often while I am driving (I'll tell you about one of my favorite new CD's that you might find inspiring in next week's e-mail), but I happened to turn on KCUR - 89.3 - the local NPR affiliate and there was a program called, Humankind that runs from 6:30 to 7:00 am. They were interviewing Millard Fuller, the founder of Habitat for Humanity. The interview was inspiring and filled with comments about Fuller's faith and Christ's call on our lives to live our faith. I ordered an MP3 file of the interview to listen to again and use in an upcoming sermon. I also looked over the website of this radio program. There were a host of interesting programs exploring faith and daily life. I had never heard of the program before and thought perhaps some of you might be interested in tuning in as well.
5. No 7:45 am Service This Weekend - 7:45 am Resumes September 10.
Just a reminder that there is no 7:45 am worship this weekend. We'll resume holding the 7:45 am service in the Chapel on September 10. Thank you to all at 7:45 am who were willing to worship in the Sanctuary the last few weeks for this sermon series!
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6. Youth Group, Children's Ministries Surge Ahead.
Yesterday I learned our children and student ministries continue to report significant growth. Our children's Sunday School is up 15% over the same period last year - very exciting! So many wonderful things happen through our ministry to children. We have a terrific staff and team of hundreds of Resurrection members who are devoted to helping children to know Jesus Christ and to learn their Bibles. I'm also excited to see what is happening in our student ministries. We had 900 students at youth group this week! I love wandering in the building on youth group nights (Sunday night for 6 th graders and Wednesday nights for 7 th - 12 th grade) and seeing the volunteers and students - I believe our student ministry volunteers, staff and program are among the best in the country. This summer Jason Gant, our director of student ministries, was listed in a national publication as one of the leading youth directors in the country. He is surrounded by an entire staff and cadre of lay volunteers who are remarkable as well. I am proud and grateful of all God is doing through our children's and student ministries.
7. This Weekend's Message: Are You a Daily Driver or a Trailer Queen?
This weekend we bring to a conclusion our three-week series of sermons on the Christian journey. We've looked at the restoration God does in our hearts, and the knowledge we need to grow as Christians. This week we turn our attention to God's call on our lives to live our faith in the world. What does God expect of us? We'll find out this weekend. Picking up our driving metaphor, I'll invite you to consider whether you are a "trailer queen" or a "daily driver." We'll have a ministry fair in the Narthex with an opportunity for you to find out more about opportunities to grow in your faith. We'll receive the Eucharist in worship and we'll end the service with some humorous out takes related to our sermon themes. Your top picks in classic cars will be on display with a final vote for your one favorite car this weekend. Winners and the total raised for University UMC's bus ministry will be announced next weekend.
I hope to see you in worship this weekend as we learn what God desires of us!
In Christ's Love,
Adam