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Please join us there to read daily reflections from our pastors, staff and congregants.

3.14.11 Lenten Congregational Devotion

Today Kim Holt shares her Resurrection story.

Kim Holt serves as a Small Group leader and a Group Life Minister at the Church of the Resurrection. In her ten years at the church, she has also served on the Board of Trustees, and worked with the ministry called A Child’s Hope.

My story begins in late 2009. We had two sons. We were done having kids–that much was decided. We discussed adopting a child later in life, perhaps when the boys were in high school or college, but only in a vague, “sounds like a good thing to do” sort of way. I would describe myself as generally a very practical person. Usually any talk of a “calling from God” would make me uncomfortable—at least until God pierced right through my hard skeptic outer-shell and changed our lives.

One Sunday, during the sermon in Vibe worship, my husband was roaming the back of the sanctuary with our restless 1-year-old, Jonah. I remained seated with our 4-year-old, Noah. I can’t explain what happened, other than to say we were inexplicably inspired, spoken to, and prepared for something during the service (can you sense my reluctance to say it was God?). On our way home, Kyle asked me, “Do you ever have the feeling that we should do something MORE?” I replied with words that were not my own, “Actually, yes. Today I heard one word over and over–adopt.”

I’ll never forget the look on Kyle’s face. It was fear, excitement, and disbelief all in one. He tearfully explained how he argued with God all through the service, giving his best reasons for why we weren’t ready for adoption right now, how he wouldn’t be able to convince me. He decided he would bring it up and make his case (or His case), but was fully expecting me to completely shut down the idea.

The fact that we were both touched with one word during that service was completely wondrous and inexplicable. Even more amazing was how each of us was uniquely prepared for the conversation. Kyle was charged to be the champion for the cause–ready to give his best effort to convince me that we were ready to bring an orphaned child into our lives sooner, rather than later. I was charged to simply be open to the idea. Just over one year later, we have completed the adoption of a 3-year-old girl from Ethiopia. Zinesh has been home for 2 months now and, although our household is very busy, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

I still struggle to know what is and is not God’s plan for my life, but I’ve tried to make a point to listen to Him more often. Sometimes He’ll “shout” His plans to us, like in the experience above, but more often, it’s a whisper. How often are our prayers filled with a monologue about how we hope God might work in our lives? Shouldn’t we really be focusing on what we can do for Him? Shouldn’t we be ready to listen?

Return to today’s GPS to read the daily scripture and reflections questions.

3.13.11 Lenten Congregational Devotion

Today Nancy Krause shares her Resurrection story.

Nancy Krause, in addition to being a small group leader, serves regularly with the Habitat for Humanity ministry, the Prayer ministry, with our partners at Community LINC.

John Dallam was a man of vision for many groups at Resurrection, but the one closest to his heart was Habitat for Humanity. He started and led this group for many years, and mentored many through this great ministry.

After he had handed over the leadership to Bob Meling, he still felt he heard God clearly telling him that He was not finished with him and wanted him to raise up the youth as builders. With the time John had left, he rallied leaders and started yet another group, the Youth Construction Skills Class. This led to so much more. One evening I asked John if I could bring some young people from Community LINC (a Resurrection ministry partner that “empowers homeless families by teaching them skills to win the battle against homelessness in a safe, nurturing and accountable environment”) to join the youth at Resurrection for this building class. John prayed and thought about this opportunity, and told me to bring the kids out. So my husband Ron and I picked these five young men up each Saturday morning bright and early so they would be on time for class. They had a great time learning from the wonderful leaders in this class.

After the six-week class, these young men wanted more, so on subsequent Saturdays we picked them up at Community LINC and took them to Grace United Ministries at 8th and Benton. There these same wonderful gentlemen continued to reach out to these young fellows. They taught them self-confidence, building skills and gave them the wonderful, immeasurable benefit of one-on-one man-to-man fellowship. Each Saturday morning there was no waiting around for these young men at LINC—they were eagerly waiting for the day’s adventure! Before long, the Builders Sunday morning group got involved with them, as well as with other young people and their families at LINC. One of the first students who worked with John Dallam is now a very successful second-year student at the University of Central Missouri, majoring in Construction Science Management, with much support and encouragement from the Builder’s Sunday morning group!

How many groups worked together, no one of them planning this kind of result? Does it matter?

I have found through my years at Resurrection, in my years of study in Disciple Bible Study and other small groups, that it is great to be open to what is going on around me. I have grown in my faith through these studies and times of fellowship. They have helped me venture out from my own  comfortable surroundings and go with others to grow and learn just a few minutes from Resurrection in our own urban neighborhoods. Each and every journey out of my neighborhood and into these nearby neighborhoods has helped me to discover how easy it is to be what God wants me to be—one of His good workers. He has shown me that it doesn’t matter what age we are, or what gifts we have. God is ready to use all of us, once we are ready to hear the message, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Return to today’s GPS to read the daily scripture and reflections questions.

3.12.11 Lenten Congregational Devotion

Today Laura Wilson shares her Resurrection story.

Laura Wilson has been a member of The Church of the Resurrection since 2002. She now serves as Hospitality Team Leader and a C.A.R.T. team volunteer at Resurrection Downtown, as well as being active in a small group.

I was newly married in the suburbs of Johnson County. My husband commuted 45 minutes to an hour each way to his office in Downtown Kansas City. I drove 45 minutes to an hour each way to the airport to catch flights for my job. We were run down and exhausted. The houses in our subdivision were close together, but we felt isolated and alone. We yearned to play an integral role in a growing community and build lifelong connections.

In January 2009, we had “grand plans” to take advantage of the down real estate market. We wanted to sell our “starter” home and buy our “dream home.” We put our house on the market the second week in January. Our house was projected to take 6-9 months to sell, but it sold in three days! Suddenly we found ourselves with no plan, and nowhere to go. I poured out my heart to God, asking for divine help, discernment and peace. Then one morning at the end of January, I felt a strong pull at my heart to explore what Resurrection was doing in Downtown Kansas City. We had heard one of Pastor Adam’s initial sermons asking for 100 families to move to Downtown. I wondered if anyone was actually there. What was taking place? Could we do it? What would it take? 

God opened doors in amazing ways, answered all our questions, and calmed all of our fears. By the end of March, 2009, with the help of incredible friends, we loaded up a rental truck and moved into a condo in the heart of our city. What a great adventure and a blessing it has been! We have had the opportunity to form deep connections with extraordinary people, and root ourselves in the mission and vision of Resurrection Downtown. God certainly heard the cries of our heart and answered our prayers in a way we never could have imagined!

Now we have a new set of priorities in our life. Our “dream home” no longer consists of premium square footage and upgraded appliances. Our new “dream home” is the family of faith we are rooted in at Resurrection Downtown. This experience made me realize that God truly does supply all our needs if we will just let him!

Return to today’s GPS to read the daily scripture and reflections questions.

3.11.11 Lenten Congregational Devotion

Today Mike Hess shares his Resurrection story.

Mike Hess is a small group leader, and also serves at Alpha and with the Journey 101 courses. He has been a part of The Church of the Resurrection community for 7 years.

My whole life, I needed to be in control, thus ensuring an expected outcome. This served me well in student government positions, high school and college athletics, as a military officer, in the corporate world and as a business owner. I grew up in a Christian home with both parents and a twin sister and always considered myself a Christian. I even prayed—normally when I needed something.

My father passed away 20 years ago. Then, unexpectedly, my sister passed away eight years ago from cancer. I flew to Seattle often during the five months from her diagnosis until her death. On one of my last visits she told me three things she said I needed to know. First was that she loved me. Second was that I would be the one responsible for my mother (later I would discover the full ramifications of this). Last, she wanted me to find out what God’s plan was for me. My life had been spared numerous times during three combat tours in Southeast Asia, and she said that it was for a reason.

From that point forward I began to ponder this. I began to attend services at Resurrection hoping to find an answer, but nothing happened. I was a Sunday Christian only. I was teaching a college course in ethics and morality, and one day a student asked me the difference between a Christian and a moralist. Then it hit me—I wasn’t a Christian. I was a moralist. I had not given my life to Christ. I had not given up controlling my life, even though recent outcomes were not favorable (my marriage had failed).

One beautiful, hot summer morning I entered the Church and sat in my usual seat. As I cleared my mind, I was emotionally overcome and began to cry. I couldn’t stop, and felt embarrassed as people began to enter. I left, went to my car, rolled down the window, put my head on the steering wheel and cried some more. Then I heard a distinct and clear voice say to me, “Go back in, and I will walk with you.” When I looked up, no one was there. I dried my eyes and went back. Entering the sanctuary, I passed the same greeter  I had walked by when I left. She smiled at me and said, “Welcome back.” I don’t remember any of the service, but I spoke to God, accepted Christ into my life and felt the unbelievable presence of the Holy Spirit.

Looking back I believe God had sent the Holy Spirit even though I had not invited him. This was a classic triple team, and it worked. My life has not been the same since giving up control to God. Since that summer morning, I have experienced numerous blessings. I met my wife at Resurrection, and I’ve had the privilege of leading others to Christ as an Alpha leader.

Return to today’s GPS to read the daily scripture and reflections questions.

3.10.11 Lenten Congregational Devotion

Today Jim Oliver shares his Resurrection story.

Jim Oliver is Chairperson of the Church Council, a Disciple Bible study leader, a member of the church’s Justice & Reconciliation Team, and a Group Life Minister, coaching and supporting small group leaders. 

This is not just a recollection. My experience was extraordinary enough that I wrote it down at the time so I would remember the day.

United Methodists on occasion join in saying aloud John Wesley’s Covenant Prayer. We ask that we may be put to doing, put to suffering, employed for God, or laid aside for God, exalted for God or brought low for God. But how many of us really mean the latter half of each contrasting statement of submission to the Lord’s will? We don’t want to suffer or be laid aside or brought low. A few years ago, as usual, I was praying for just the opposite, for something that seemed positive to me.

We had moved to a new city in 1998, after twenty years at a church we dearly loved.  Other churches we visited had little attraction and little talent (or so my inner critic would say) and they certainly didn’t love you the same. A few overdid it with unwanted attention, and at others no one even spoke to us. After four years without a real church home, we moved again–this time to Kansas City and Church of the Resurrection. But two years later, I was still a bystander and was questioning whether I belonged somewhere else. Perhaps I should be at a smaller church where I would be needed, instead of a church with thousands of motivated, highly capable members. Perhaps a church where I knew the people would be better than sitting next to different strangers every week. Finally, in August 2004, I signed up for Disciple Bible Study, hoping to find what God would have me do (my operative assumption being that “doing” is always good). 

God’s answer came during Lent in 2005. On Friday evening, March 4th, it came upon me quite clearly and powerfully over the course of a couple of hours that I didn’t need to be always doing something that felt important. I had been “laid aside,” and suddenly I knew I was content with it. I could say the Covenant Prayer and mean it. This was not something I figured out, but a soul-warming, transformative lesson from the Holy Spirit. I needed to be taught, and had experienced Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit will help you and show you what is true (John 14:16-17). As this transpired, I was overwhelmed with joy and thankfulness that I had ever been counted worthy to follow Jesus, and to do anything at all for the Lord. God certainly can make do without me, but not vice versa. 

It next became quite apparent to me that if I truly wanted the opportunity to follow Jesus, there is no better place to do it than The Church of the Resurrection. In Revelation, John saw in heaven “a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” Jesus does not see strangers, but people he loves and died for. He does not see a church that is too large. His Kingdom is not small. Since that day during Lent in 2005, I’ve seen things differently. New opportunities for service have opened, and God has blessed our family abundantly through this church.

You can pray the Wesley Covenant Prayer during Lent this year by going to http://www.cor.org/about-resurrection/beliefs-and-values/. It is daunting to pray for God’s will to be done so utterly and completely, but God always works for our good, even when it means being laid aside.

3.9.11 Lenten Congregational Devotion

Today Karla Aurand shares her Resurrection story. 

Karla Aurand serves as a small group leader, KiDS COR Sunday School volunteer, and as a trained Congregational Care Minister at the Leawood Campus of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. She has been a member of the church for 15 years.

On Sunday evening, November 15, 2009, while my husband took our two little girls to choir, I noticed our house lights dimming upstairs. When my family got home I said, “Something is wrong.” Then the power went out and the house went dark. We checked with our neighbors—we were the only house without power. While trying to determine the cause, we heard a noise outside. The power company’s truck was stopped in the street in front of our house. How did he know? We hadn’t called.  How did he arrive so quickly? We had only just determined ourselves that the problem wasn’t a blown fuse or the breaker box. Yet, inexplicably, there was a man from the power company dispatched to our house because of a power outage. “Who called this in?” we asked. “Just a minute and I can tell you,” he replied. But his dispatcher could not determine the source of the call. Did God send an angel to alert the power company knowing what I was about to face later that evening?

About 10:30, after hours of working on our outage, but shortly before our power was restored, the phone rang. I went to the only corded phone in the house.  My dad was on the other end of the line. He said, “Your brother is gone.” “What did you say?” I asked, as I fell to my knees. As I sat there in darkness, listening to my dad tell me of my brother’s sudden death, I knew that my life would be forever changed.

God knew I was about to walk through darkness, and that I would need His light. Not only literally, with our power restored so I could make arrangements to go to Florida, but also emotionally and spiritually. Since that fateful night, there has been much darkness. The Bible tells us in John 1:5, “The light shines in the darkness.” Later in John 12:36, Jesus told his disciples shortly before his death to “Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” Jesus Christ has been my light in all the darkness that has passed over me, and I trust Him. When, just a couple of months after my brother’s death, I received shocking news about my own health, news directly related to my brother’s death, I put my trust in God. When my mom and then my daughter were in the hospital just weeks after my own shocking health news, in the midst of a long, dark winter, God was my light. When four more family members passed away this past year, He was my hope.

Our family had the honor of lighting the Christ candle during one of the services last Christmas Eve. Lighting the Christ candle was one of my most humbling experiences. Who am I that I should be able to represent His light? As I reflect on that question, I realize that we all go through darkness in our lives and that we are called to share God’s light. So that is what I hope this testimony does. I hope and pray that Christ’s light will shine through me as I help others through their darkness. I hope that by faithfully studying God’s Word, by being connected to a small group of believers, and by sharing experiences where God has strengthened and upheld me, I can bring Christ’s light to others. Just like on Christmas Eve, when we all share His light and sing praises to Him. This Easter and always, I encourage you to trust in Christ and become sons—and daughters—of light.

3.8.11 Tuesday Insights from Pastor Molly Simpson

Confessions of a pastor:

There are some days that I ask myself, “Molly, what are you doing with your life?  Does all this really matter?  Churches are in decline throughout the western world, what makes you think that will ever change?  Are we really God’s chosen body for the transformation of the world?”

Usually those thoughts creep in when I’m sifting through complex budget reports, working through website updates, or I’ve talked to another couple whose marriage is falling apart and I felt like I had nothing helpful or healing to say.  Often these are days when I can’t see the forest for the trees.

Perhaps you have things like this in your life.

What if God came to you on one of those days and said, “Hang tight.  Deal with the frustrating things, let go of those you can’t change, and live well where you are.  It’s going to be awhile, but I know where you are headed, and I’ve got big, good, hope-filled plans for you.”    (see Jeremiah 29:4-14 if you haven’t already)

I would certainly find some true comfort in that.  And I’d respond, “Sounds awesome, God.  So, when you say awhile, do you mean weeks or months… or what?”

The Hebrew people had 70 years of exile to anticipate and endure.  The hope that God (via Jeremiah) offers is hope for the community even more than hope for the individual.  It is hope for the children and those children’s children.

In that light, things look a little different.  When you reconcile that your family situation may not ever change but there is hope and a good future for the relationships that still exist, things start to look a little different.  When you stop focusing on the money that you lost (and may never see again) and trust God in the circumstances you face today, things start to look a little different.  When you (I) stop asking “does all this really matter to me?” and start asking “does all this really matter for our children and our children’s children?” things start to look a little different.

I believe that one way or another love wins, hope prevails, and the future is good.  That is the gospel, after all.

 

Rev. Molly Simpson serves as the Campus Pastor of Resurrection West in Olathe.

3.7.11 Monday Insights from Pastor Steven Blair

That voice inside your head

There is a voice inside your head called by many as your conscience. Sometimes that voice inside  our head points us to doing the right thing.   As Christians, we can find the connection that at those times the voice inside that we are listening to is the voice of God which lives in us.   At other times, the voice inside our head steers us in the other direction.  The voice steers us towards hurting others or making decisions that do not reflect God.  At those times, the name of the voice is Sin.

Sometimes those voices are obviously different.  Loving a neighbor is a message from God, while kicking a neighbor in the shins is obviously a sinful message.

Sometimes the decision is more difficult.

Jeremiah has communicated a message from God to Zedekiah.  It is not an easy message, but it is a message that will lead to the survival of the Jewish people.  “Side with Babylon as a vassal to their empire instead of siding with Egypt as a companion to their empire.”   In this situation neither option was ideal.  Both Babylon and Egypt are synonymous with evil and destruction.  So how did Jeremiah decide between the two?   He listened to God and applied “The Discernment Question.”.

Of these two options, “which one most brings the life that God wants for us?”

Sometimes our decisions are not clear cut between loving our neighbor or kicking them in the shins.  Sometimes we have to decide between going deeper into debt or canceling an anticipated family vacation.  Or deciding between listening to the boss’ harsh criticism or looking for a new job that pays less money.

In these decisions, we need to follow the example of Jeremiah and look for the option that best brings out the life that God wants for us.  This will not necessarily be the easiest of the two options.  Zedekiah chose the option that puffed up his ego–he sided with Egypt, and that led to his destruction and the destruction of others.

Sometimes the decision is between Egypt and Babylon.  With “The Discernment Question” in mind, do differently than Zedekiah and choose Babylon.

Pastor Steven Blair serves as Pastor of Congregational Care (Last names M-R) at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.

3.5.11 Saturday Insights from Lori Trupp

Although the book of Jeremiah may have never been at the top of our “must read” lists, I have appreciated the opportunity our recent sermon series has given us to tarry in this prophetic book. Admittedly, the last time I spent any time reading the words of this prophet was when we spent a couple of weeks in Jeremiah during a Disciple Bible Study I was taking on the Prophets and the Letters of Paul quite a number of years ago.

I actually went back to my notes from that study out of curiosity, looking for some insight into what I might write about for this post. I enjoy looking back through notes from studies I have completed. Doing this gives me a glimpse into what was going on in my heart during the time of each study.

In my notes about today’s scripture passage, Jeremiah 4:6-14, I had written quite a lot about Jeremiah 4:14: “O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved.” I noted how that particular portion of the scripture related for me to Psalm 51:7: “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”

I then went on to write about singing a hymn in my grandparents’ old church about being “whiter than snow.” After reading that note, I tried with all of my brain power to recall that hymn. It must have been important to me at the time, or I wouldn’t have written about it. Try as I might, I couldn’t recall the words or the tune.

Thanks to my internet search engine, I was able to track down the music and lyrics for this hymn. Now I remember why I wrote about it! It is an awesome hymn written in 1872 by James L. Nicholson. Somewhere amid the often grim poetry and prose of Jeremiah, I had been looking for a nugget of encouragement and hope, and I had found it. I have included the words for you to read below. Through these words, we are reminded that the blood of Jesus has been spilled on our behalf, and that because of this amazing act of love, our hearts are washed clean, whiter than snow, and we are saved.

Whiter than Snow

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul;
Break down every idol, cast out every foe—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Refrain:
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain,
Apply Thine own blood and extract every stain;
To get this blest cleansing, I all things forego—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies,
And help me to make a complete sacrifice;
I give up myself, and whatever I know—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat,
I wait, blessed Lord, at Thy crucified feet,
By faith for my cleansing, I see thy blood flow—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait;
Come now and within me a new heart create;
To those who have sought Thee Thou never said’st “No”—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

The blessing by faith, I receive from above;
Oh, glory! my soul is made perfect in love;
My prayer has prevailed, and this moment I know,
The blood is applied, I am whiter than snow.

Lori Trupp serves as Director of Children’s Ministries at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.