Friday, June 9, 2017
Hello Resurrection Blue Springs,
Greetings from Grand Island, Nebraska on this Friday morning. I am here with our delegation from Resurrection for our Great Plains Annual Conference. This is our first conference under the leadership of our new Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. I’ve really been impressed with his leadership thus far. We also have two members from our Blue Springs campus representing us at our Missouri Conference being held right now as well.
In Bishop Saenz's first episcopal address to the Great Plains Annual Conference, he laid out five key factors for United Methodists in Nebraska and Kansas to move forward into the future. The bishop’s five key points include increasing the number and diversity of small groups; reaching and teaching young people, which included increasing school-church partnerships; increasing the collaboration of churches; moving toward unity through prayer and dialogue as we prepare for the 2019 special General Conference session to discuss human sexuality issues; and developing a Great Plains culture of movement.
I was pleased to hear this and find that our recent work at Rez Blue Springs and our priorities for the future line up quite nicely with the Bishop’s five key factors. We have deployed several new small groups this year and are developing leadership for more. Our ministry to children and their families is a priority and we continue to build our partnership with Philips at Attucks Elementary school, along with our ongoing backpack ministry to Paul Kinder Middle and Lucy Franklin Elementary. We have opened the dialogue and are working our way through the human sexuality issues making room for grace and prayer in our quest to understand and love. There is no doubt our church is on the move, ever seeking ways to be in mission and ministry together. I’m proud of the way we already embrace these key factors in our mission to bring the life-changing message of Christ to our community and look forward to expanding our reach.
This Sunday we continue our sermon series Upside Down as we explore the stories Jesus told. This Sunday we’ll discuss the stories Jesus told about a great banquet and then we’ll have a chance to take part in one of our own after our Special Baptism service Sunday afternoon. We’ll gather as a church to celebrate with those being baptized or reaffirming their baptism vows. You’ll want to bring a side dish to share for the picnic and a blanket or lawn chair to sit on. We’ll provide the hamburgers and hotdogs. A baptism meeting will follow our worship at 10:45 am for anyone seeking to be baptized.
Speaking of school partnerships you’ll want to get signed up this week to take part in our Bless the Schools blitz. We’ll be descending on our partner school Phillips at Attucks Elementary this week to do a radical makeover. We want the Phillips students and teachers to be overwhelmed when they return back to school this fall so they will know without a doubt that they matter to our community. The work will take place all week long from June 15-23. On Saturday, June 17, our FaithWork efforts will be directed to Bless the School, and we want to have a huge turnout that morning at 9 am.
Make sure to check out some of the other upcoming opportunities to learn, serve and connect below . . .
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Summer Volleyball – Each Sunday evening at 6:30 pm, we will meet for volleyball on the sand courts at Wilbur Young Park, next to Blue Springs South High School at 1100 SE Adams Dairy Parkway. This is open to all youth and adults. Come join us as you're available for this fun time!.
Popsicles in the Park! Load up the kids and meet us at various parks on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm throughout the summer for a play date. We will bring the popsicles, you bring your kids and some friends! This week's gathering is June 14 - Rotary Park @ Railroad Lake in Blue Springs. Watch your enote and bulletin each week for new park locations!Outdoor Baptism & Potluck Sunday, June 11, 5 pm. Anyone desiring to be baptized or to reaffirm their baptismal vows is invited to participate in this service, along with their families and members of our church family. The service will be held in the church backyard. We’ll celebrate the evening with some food and fellowship; please bring a dish to share. A brief meeting with Pastor Penny is a prerequisite to baptism at this event. Register here online. For more information, contact Penny.Ellwood@cor.org.June FaithWork & Bless the School – June 17 This month we will participate in Bless the School as our June FaithWork. The school is our partner school – Phillips at Attucks Elementary in KC. There are two possibilities for the FaithWork. You can provide items for a meal or you can serve at the school. Sign up here or at Guest Services to serve at the school. To provide items for lunches, send an email to Cheryl Jorgensen. We will be serving as a Blue Springs campus group on Saturday but there are multiple opportunities to serve throughout the week of June 16-23. There are opportunities to paint and repair, to install playground equipment, to clean and to organize, and to spread mulch. Come and be a part of a truly community changing ministry. Everyone who is working at the school is to provide their Release Forms prior to the work day. This is open to everyone ages 12+. Ages 12-15 must be accompanied by adult and a release form signed by parent or guardian. Cheer on the Royals with friends from Resurrection! Join us for a church-wide night of fun and fireworks as we watch the Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, June 23, at 7:15 pm. Come early at 4:30 for a celebrity softball game featuring Paul Rudd, Eric Stonestreet and other famous folks to raise money for Children’s Mercy Hospital. Plus, it’s “buck” night! Tickets are $18 and can be purchased after worship. (Please pay by cash or check made out to “COR,” all sales tax and processing fees are included in the cost of the ticket.)
June MiniCamp Friday, June 23 6-8pm | Saturday, June 24 9am-12pm At this MiniCamp, children K-5th grade will learn the true meaning behind a few of the parables in the Bible as we explore "The Secret Life of Jesus." For more information or to volunteer at MiniCamp, contact Diane Enlow. Register your children online. Potlucks with the Pastor - Sign up for dinner with Pastor Penny and her husband, Bill and a group of ten others. Any long-time folk, brand newbies, singles, couples, or college aged are invited to attend. This is a chance for the adults to visit and get better acquainted (The July date coincides with mini-camp so parents we have a built in kids option for this night). The main dish will be provided and everyone else brings a side. Formalities are forbidden and shoes are optional. We’ll eat outside when we can. Dates are Fridays, June 30, July 14 or August 18 at 6:30 pm. Sign up here.July MiniCamp Friday, July 14 6-8 | Saturday, July 15 9am-12pm Keep their minds active this summer at our S.T.E.A.M. MiniCamp. Children K-5th grade will learn hands on the amazing things they can explore in this world through science, technology, engineering, architecture & math. And how this is all possible only because of God! Register your children online.Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit – August 10-11. Take advantage of world-class leadership training at the simulcast event, aimed at helping you become a better leader at home, at work and in your volunteer efforts. Both Leawood and Blue Springs serve as host sites. Sign up by July 11 for the $89 host site rate for Resurrection members and attendees. Use Priority Code: PHS17TEAM to receive the discounted rate. Visit cor.org/sharechurch for more information.rezlife Student Ministries – We want to stay connected with and support our recent high school graduates. High School seniors (or their parents) can click here to let us know post high school plans.
Inivte a friend to join you for worship this Sunday at 9 or 10:45 am. I look forward to seeing you!
Penny
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Blue Springs
601 NorthEast Jefferson Street
Blue Springs, Missouri 64014, United States
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