Missionary Renegade: Weekly eNote from Pastor Scott Chrostek for Friday, 9 October 2015 from The Resurrection United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Friday, October 9, 2015

Weekly eNote from Pastor Scott Chrostek for Friday, 9 October 2015 from The Resurrection United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Friday, October 9, 2015,
Greetings RezDowntowners,
Twenty-five years ago approximately 100 people gathered to worship in a funeral home and since then this same faithful gathering has multiplied to more than 20,000 lifting praises to God each weekend in four locations throughout our city. Much has changed for Resurrection since it first began in 1990 and often times in ways that surpassed everybody’s imagination. This weekend we are going to celebrate all that God has done through The Church of the Resurrection in all of its locations! Pastor Adam will share a special 25th anniversary message and we’ll have a chance to look ahead to what the next twenty-five years will hold. I hope you’ll join us in worship, as this message is hitting at a time when some pretty exciting things are afoot for Resurrection Downtown. So, in between the Royals games, invite friends and join us as we worship and celebrate God’s power and presence! And what’s a celebration without something special after the service?
About month ago, I shared with you that Pastor Todd Maberry, our Community Pastor, will be leaving our staff team at Resurrection Downtown. From the moment he and Laura moved across country to join this community, they have been pouring into this church and surrounding community. Through them we have certainly experienced God’s rich blessings. As they now prepare to move back to North Carolina and into the community at Duke Divinity School, I wanted to remind you once more that Todd’s last weekend on staff will be next weekend, October 17-18th. As a way of preparing for his farewell weekend, Todd wanted to be sure to share his own words of farewell to the RezDowntown community. Please click here to read Todd’s Farewell Letter. In the meantime, please know that we are working to put together a nationwide search for someone to fill Todd’s role into the future. Please stay tuned for more information about that search and be in prayer for both the Maberry’s and our church during this time of transition.
Lastly, I wanted to take a moment to lift up Bobbi Jo Reed, as Executive Director of The Healing House. This weekend Bobbi Jo is celebrating 20 years of sobriety and God’s abundant blessing! She will be honored at a service this Saturday night at Colonial Presbyterian on Wornall Rd. at 7:00pm and I invite you to be in prayer for her as she and we celebrate what God has done through her!
In the meantime, here are several ways to get connected in the life of this church:

Pastor Todd’s Letter of Farewell. His Last Weekend is October 17-18.
RezDowntown Community, I hope by now you have heard the news about my transition. I wanted to share with you how sad I am to be leaving. God is clearly at work bringing a diverse group of people together for the purpose of building Christian community in the heart of downtown KC, and it will be hard to end my time as a pastor here. It is also challenging to express how much I appreciate all of you. You have been so loving to me and my family, and one of the greatest honors of my life is that you have trusted and respected me as a pastor. Both of my girls were born in KC and so this place will always hold a special place for me and my wife Laura. I am deeply grateful to Pastor Scott Chrostek for his leadership and giving me the opportunity to serve here. I have also thoroughly enjoyed working with the amazing staff at Church of the Resurrection.
While I am sad to leave, I am also thrilled for a new opportunity that fits well into my long-term career goal of being a leader in an educational institution that serves the church. I have taken a job at Duke University in Durham, NC and I will be the Senior Director in charge of the Admissions, Recruiting, and Financial Aid departments at Duke Divinity School. Essentially, I will be connecting with present and future church leaders as they discern their vocation, determine with them if theological education and training is a part of that calling, and then figure out how to help them pay for it. Both of my girls are named after people in North Carolina, and Laura and I spent the first 10 years of our married life there, so it feels a lot like going home.
My last day at RezDowtown will be October 18 and I hope to be in North Carolina by early November. I will be in worship this weekend and next, and I hope to have the chance to say farewell in person. I welcome your prayers for me and my family during this season of transition, and know that you will always remain in my prayers.
All the best,
Pastor Todd
Women’s Breakfast Series – You are invited to join us Saturday, October 10, at 9 am as we observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Cynthia Newsome, Midday Anchor for 41 Action News and breast cancer survivor. Cynthia is an award-winning journalist and has a passion for community involvement, particularly those organizations that empower women and girls. Join us at 1522 McGee in the Loft. Bring a breakfast item to share (if you have time) ... bring a friend ... come and get to know other women! For questions, contact Michele Janson atmjanson@everestkc.net or visit rezdowntown.org/womensbreakfast.
Morning Men’s Speaker Series – Join us Tuesday, October 13 at 7 am at 1508 Grand, when Darryl Burton will be sharing his story of “Hope and Forgiveness” through adversity. Darryl was exonerated after 24 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He now is a student at Saint Paul’s School of Theology and is a Pastor intern at Church of the Resurrection. Join us for coffee and to hear this inspiring story. For more information, visit rezdowntown.org/morningmensgroup.
RezDads make plans! Join Pastor Scott and other Resurrection dads for an informal planning meeting to discuss the upcoming RezDads group. We will begin to plan some fellowship and guest speaking events and would love additional feedback for this new group. Meet at 1508 Grand on the second floor, Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 pm. Email Jason at jtwfyc@gmail.com for more information.
A Disciple’s Path Study will begin Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 pm at 1508 Grand, Rm. 110. Are you at a point where you are ready to grow in your faith and learn how to authentically live it out? Are you curious what it means that Resurrection is a United Methodist Church? Come be a part of this class where you will grow to understand God’s love and grace with the time-tested practices of prayer, presence, gifts, service and witness, as well as learn what it means to be a United Methodist. Two books are required, total cost is $20, scholarships available. Class size is limited! For questions, contact David Sisney at dsisney@sbcglobal.net. To register, go torezdowntown.org/disciplespath.
RezMoMs – Join us this month on Thursday, October 15th from 6:30-8pm for a different kind of food for your soul! We will have Shannon Wheeler with us to lead us in a yoga class! So come, bring a snack if you have time, a friend and a yoga mat! It will be a great night to get to know other moms, laugh and get some much needed relaxation! Childcare is available; please register on the events page! Contact Kristen Sayers at klynsayers@gmail.com
It is 3rd Grade Bible Presentation time for 2015!!! On Sunday, October 18 at the 9 amservice, we will continue the Methodist tradition of presenting all 3rd grade students with a Bible of their very own. As members of their faith family, we are excited to provide this age appropriate Bible and our prayer is that this gift will help them take their next steps in their relationship with God. This is faith milestone and a great opportunity to communicate to our children the importance of God’s Word in their life. We want to personalize the Bibles for each student, as Pastor Scott will write each of them a personal message in their Bible. Registration is required but there is no fee. You MUST register your child to receive a Bible by emailing Sarah.Brischle@cor.org with your child’s name; even if you are unable to attend on October 18.
I am so excited to spend this weekend with you in service and in worship. I hope you'll invite friends and join us for what is shaping up to be a great weekend in the city!
Grace and Peace,
Scott

@scottchrostek
Congregational Care and Support
If you need pastoral care, call 816-979-1330 or for after hours emergencies, 816-875-0267.
To submit a prayer request, contact Todd.Maberry@rezdowntown.org orAnne.Williams@rezdowntown.org
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