By the time you’re reading this, I will have just journeyed through the Shepherds' Field in Bethlehem en route to The Church of the Nativity, where a group of 41 church members and I will sing together Silent Night, Holy Night over the place where Christ was born. Please be in prayer for us as we retrace the footsteps of Jesus in the Holy Land.
I was grateful for the opportunity to kick off this weekend's new sermon series, With Grateful Hearts, by recording a sermon in and around downtown Kansas City. I’ll be speaking specifically about the power of generosity and gratitude in our collective life of faith through the lens of my experience of God here in Kansas City. I hope you’ll join us and consider inviting your friends as we kick off this very important series of sermons.
Along with this weekend’s kick-off, we are also initiating a 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge across all of our campuses. This weekend only, we will hand out Gratitude Journals, one per person in attendance, so that we can experience and unlock the power of gratitude throughout the city together!
Lastly, in light of the recent tragic church shooting in Texas, I wanted to share with you briefly our approach to safety and security at Resurrection Downtown, which we take very seriously. Every worship service we have, at minimum, two off-duty KCMO police officers in attendance. These officers work all weekend to ensure the safety of our congregation within the church buildings and all of our parking. In addition to our off-duty police officers, we lead our volunteers through various levels of training, both safe gatherings training as well as emergency training. We make it a practice to schedule annual training events for active shooter scenarios (and other types of emergencies like fire and tornado) as well. God calls us to be great stewards of all we’ve been given and we have been given an amazing opportunity to build Christian community in the heart of this city. On Wednesday, November 29 from 6:30-7:30 pm, we are planning to host another training session for all of our volunteers who serve in worship. Shannon Endicott will email invitations to our active lists, but if you’d like to participate or become a volunteer we’d love to have you join us as well. Please simply email Shannon.Endicott@cor.org for more information.
I’m grateful for you and excited to see where God will lead us into the future. Have a great weekend!
Pastor Scott
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In the meantime, be sure to read below in order to get better connected to the life of our church:
Upcoming Events & Activities:
Construction Video Update
Check out the latest comical update on the new building from Scott and Kelly, here!
Welcome New Members!
Austin Belzer, Keri Brewster, Lori Bunton, Ronald Castle, Linda Schenck, Rebecca Cates, Laura Faust, Barb Feyerabend, Tom Feyerabend, Kristin France, Tim Good, Erin Bales, Sara King, Tyler King & Candace Thompson
There are a Few Spots Left!
Hurry and be a part of our Dinners for 8. Pick either Thursday, Nov. 16 or Friday, Nov. 17, to have dinner with a group. Each sheet will have details about the location and host(s). The sheets will be available in the entryway after each worship service.
Dealing with Difficult Families
Join RezDowntown counseling intern Jeff Kamp for session two of our “Thriving, Not Just Surviving” holiday series. Tuesday, Nov. 14, 7 pm, at The Healing House (4602 St. John Ave., Kansas City MO, 64123).
J.O.Y. in Serving – Holiday Giving Opportunities
Throughout the holiday season, we’ll have multiple opportunities for our RezDT community to give back through donations. For details and ways to joyfully give this holiday season, visit cor.org/downtown/joy or email Pastor Patrick.McLaughlin@cor.org.
Women’s Breakfast – Morning of Thankfulness
Join us Saturday, Nov. 11 from 9 - 10:30 am at 1522 McGee for a morning of Thankfulness! We will enjoy breakfast together followed by a devotional time on thankfulness. You’ll also have fun creating a take-home craft to help us remember to be thankful throughout the month. Feel free to invite a friend and bring a dish to share for the morning. Contact Shannon.Endicott@cor.org with questions!
Matthew’s Ministry – Volunteers Needed!
Please join us for our next Matthew's Ministry Family Day Out Downtown! Individuals of all ages with special needs and their siblings are invited to a fun-filled day of crafts, activities, and fellowship while parents and caregivers take an afternoon for themselves. The event will be Sunday, Nov. 12 from 1- 4 pm at 1522 McGee. You do not need to be a member of the church to participate. For questions, registration, or to volunteer, please contact hannah.murray@cor.org. By volunteering your time, we can allow more families to benefit from what this terrific ministry has to offer!
Healing House Open House & Ribbon Cutting
Healing House will host their annual open house Saturday, Nov. 18 from 1 – 6 pm at 4602 St. John Ave in KCMO. See the Healing House homes up close and meet some of the current residents, who will be acting as tour guides. The open house will kick off with a celebratory ribbon cutting to introduce the Addiction Recovery Center (ARC) and construction. No need to RSVP – just show up and bring friends!
FaithWork
Join us Saturday, Nov. 18, for our monthly FaithWork serving opportunities. FaithWork provides a meaningful way to be introduced to God’s work in the city through our ministry partners. Projects could be anything from painting to serving meals, cleaning up neighborhoods or playing with kids! Our hope is that serving will lead you to a journey of deeper faith through individual and small group commitments and relationships with our neighbors and ministry partners. For this FaithWork journey, all you need are some work clothes and a willing heart! Visit cor.org/downtown/faithwork for more information.
Cakes, Community and Chiefs!
On Sunday, Nov. 19, join us for breakfast in the parking lot after each morning worship service, and don’t forget to wear red! We will celebrate the Chiefs and our community by gathering to chat, enjoy pancakes and after the 10:45 am service, hang around to watch the game on the big screen. It might be chilly, but our hearts will be warm! (This event is dependent upon “extremes” in weather…start praying for a gorgeous day!)
Congregational Care & Support
If you need pastoral care, call (816) 979-1330.
For after hours emergencies, please call (913) 338-9477.
To submit a prayer request, email Anne.Williams@cor.org.
Check out our RezDT Missions blog here, or view our Wendell Phillips Elementary partnership newsletter.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Downtown
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