Greetings RezDowntowners,
It has been a great week in the heart of the city and I can hardly believe I am writing you as we are approaching the 4th Sunday in Advent. I am excited to be preaching this weekend in Leawood as we conclude this sermon series by focusing on Advent from the Other Side. We’ll be taking a look Joseph’s experience of Christmas and God’s mercy. Pastor Adam and I will actually be swapping places this weekend as he is planning on joining us live at Resurrection Downtown this Sunday. Be sure to join us downtown this weekend to offer him a great RezDowntown greeting! Then on Sunday evening I’m excited to share with you that we’ll be hosting a very special evening of worship to coincide with The Longest Night (Winter Solstice). It will be an evening full of music, prayer, and God’s healing power. If this season has been particularly difficult we would love for you to join us at 5:00pm. Pastor Anne will be preaching a special message on God’s power to push back the darkness in our lives in order to bring about healing and redemption. I hope you’ll invite friends and join us in worship this weekend as it is shaping up to be a fantastic weekend!
Also, I wanted to share with you a brief update. In September we hosted an All Church Gathering to approve the purchase of the Kansas City Star Parking Lot as a way of growing forward into the future. At that meeting we also voted to approve a Building Committee to begin work performing due diligence on this this property and to work with the congregation on designing a building that would facilitate our future program needs that would allow us to continue living into our purpose of building Christian community in the heart of the city. That Building Committee along with a variety of subcommittees have been hard at work and as of this past Tuesday morning we received approval from The Kansas City Plan Commission to rezone and redevelop this lot. To learn more about this past Tuesday’s meeting, please click here. Feel free to share this on social media as well, as this was a great milestone in making possible a future filled with hope.
Join us This Sunday Evening for The Longest Night – An Evening of Worship with Glory Revival – Acknowledging pain and loss amidst the holidays. When the world around us is caroling about the most wonderful time of the year, many people find that Christmas time only reminds them of the loneliness of grief or broken relationships, the insecurity of unemployment, the weariness of ill health. This service, at 5 pm on Sunday, December 20th is a space and time set aside to acknowledge these feelings as the nights grow darker and longer. Join us for this honest time of reflection and worship as we seek God in darkness, and as we remember we are never alone. For more information visit cor.org/downtown/christmas
- Celebrate Christmas Eve at Resurrection Downtown on 12/23 and 12/24. Invite friends and join us for Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship services on Wednesday, December 23rdat 5:00 and 7:00pm or Thursday, December 24th at 3:00, 5:00 and 7:00pm at 1522 McGee. We’ll have childcare available for children 4 and under at every service and we are encouraging our members to make room for visitors by worshiping with us on December 23rd if possible. We are excited to celebrate the night when light pierces the darkness, the night when Christ is born with you and your family in the heart of the city! Join us for this special evening of traditional lessons and carols along with the passing of candlelight on this Silent Night, Holy Night!
- RezDowntown Needs Your Help! Christmas Eve and Christmas Eve Eve are an amazing time in the life of the church as we will be welcoming so many people from our community into our doors! However, it takes a lot of people to do so! We are looking for Greeters and help on the Hospitality Team (Coffee, etc.) and any other hands to help with these amazing services. It will take a lot of help, but we can pull together to show the radical hospitality that Rez Downtown is known for! To volunteer or if you have any questions, contactShannon.Endicott@cor.org.
- Volunteer for Christmas Eve in KiDS COR – Join us for story time, songs, fun and crafts as we tell the story of the birth of Jesus. All curriculum will be provided. If you are able to help with the littlest of our congregation, email Sarah to let her know when you are available for one of these services: Dec. 24 at 3, 5 or 7 pm. Contact Sarah.Brischle@cor.org for more information.
- If you haven’t had the chance to turn in your 2016 annual giving commitment card, please place it in the offering plate, or fill one out online at cor.org/give, click on Annual Giving.
All Remaining Services for 2015 after this weekend will be at 1522 McGee
Dec. 20 5pm The Longest Night – An Evening of Worship with Glory Revival
Dec. 23 5 & 7 pm Candlelight Christmas Eve Services
Dec. 24 3, 5 & 7 pm Candlelight Christmas Eve Services
Dec. 25 Office Closed
Dec. 26
Dec. 27 9 & 10:45 am Worship Services | No Evening Service
Dec. 28 Office Closed
Dec. 29-31 9 am-1 pm Office Hours during Christmas Holiday
Jan. 1-3 Office Closed
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- Year-End Contributions and Deductions – To be deductible in 2015, contributions must be physically received at Resurrection or postmarked by Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015. Or you may place your check in the offering plate during December worship services, or deliver donations to Resurrection Downtown’s office at 1508 Grand by Wednesday, Dec. 31 (office open 9 am – 1 pm). You may also donate online through Resurrection Access no later than 11:59 pm CDT, Wednesday, Dec. 30, or through PayPal no later than 11:59 pm CDT,Thursday, Dec. 31.
Grace and Peace,
Scott
Twitter: @scottchrostek
Congregational Care and Support
If you need pastoral care, call 816-979-1330. (After hours emergencies: 816-875-0267.)
To submit a prayer request, contact Anne.Williams@rezdowntown.org
For more information, visit our website: cor.org/downtown
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Downtown
1508 Grand Avenue
Kansas City, Missouri 64108, United States
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