Renewal on Retreat

Each year Resurrection‘s Staff Parish provides each staff member with two days for personal retreat at Tall Oaks.  Several months ago I scheduled today as one of those days and I’m most grateful that I did.  April has been a crazy month for me: planning and leading our combined Easter Service with Grand Avenue Temple, preaching the weekend after, teaching five classes, and training for a 10k has led me to burn the candle at both ends on a number of days.

After work yesterday I headed to Tall Oaks and Heather and Hannah met me for a picnic dinner.  After dinner they headed home and I spent the evening reading and working on a couple of things.  I didn’t set an alarm this morning, got up and went for a run/walk, and then spent the day today reading, writing, reflecting, scheming, dreaming, and listening to and watching the thunderstorms that came through.

It was a wonderfully relaxing day and I am grateful to have had an opportunity to step away from routines, to enjoy some quiet, to rest and be refreshed.  I look forward to scheduling my retreat day in the fall and would encourage all of you to find days like this for yourselves.

Television Habits Still Changed After Easter

I gave up TV for Lent and it wasn’t as hard as I thought it might be.  In fact, I really haven’t had the TV on much since Easter.  And when it has been on, I’ve often found myself feeling a little annoyed by what is on.

Heather and I went out for dinner tonight, grabbed some Starbucks and then headed home to enjoy a beautiful evening on the back deck reading/doing a little work.  As I sat and read, Heather’s Starbucks cup caught my eye…

“Americans spend an average of 29 hours a week watching television – which means in a typical life span we devote 13 uninterrupted years to our TV sets!  The biggest problem with mass media isn’t low quality – it’s high quantity.  Cutting down just an hour a day would provide extra years of life – for music and family, exercise and reading, conversation and coffee.” – Michael Medved, Author of Right Turns and radio talk show host

29 hours a week?!  That’s more than 1/7th of our time spent with a TV on.  I know that I’m going to continue to be intentional about keeping the television off when there are other things that I would rather be doing like reading, listening to music, connecting with friends, playing with Hannah, or spending time with Heather.

Are there things you wish you had time to do each day or each week?  Might you have some hours available if you turned the TV off?

Peter’s Story – Redeemed and Called

My sermon from worship this last weekend is now online.  I had a great time writing it and preaching it and was deeply blessed by the feedback and support I received from members of the congregation.  Enjoy!

Preaching at Resurrection This Weekend

I’ll be preaching at five services on Resurrection‘s Central Campus this weekend as well as via video at Vibe.

• Saturday night – 5pm, Praise Service in Sanctuary
• Sunday morning – 7:45am, Heritage Service in Wesley Covenant Chapel
• Sunday morning – 9:00am, Traditions Service in Sanctuary
• Sunday morning – 10:45am, Traditions Service in Sanctuary
• Sunday morning – 10:45am, Vibe in Student Center (via video)
• Sunday night – 5pm, Praise Service in Sanctuary

Sunday at 10:45am and 5:00pm the services can be viewed live online.

Your prayers are appreciated as I finish preparations and prepare to share God’s word with the congregation this weekend.  I’d also love to have you join us for worship if you’re in KC or online if you’re not.

Resurrection Downtown Picking Up Speed

Over the last month or so momentum has really been building on plans for the launch of Resurrection Downtown. 

This fall Resurrection is launching a new campus in downtown Kansas City in the building owned by Grand Avenue Temple.  Monthy worship services will be held in August, September, and October and weekly worship will launch during Advent in November.  Dates and more information can be found by following the above link.  There is also a promotional video on that page that I’d invite you to view as it talks about our hopes for this new campus.

A Poet’s Muse

Janelle is one of the funniest people I know.

Last night I was catching up on some blogs and got a big kick out of her most recent post.

Janelle and I ended up at lunch with some friends today.  You can read about that here.

Easter at Grand Avenue Temple

I had the incredible privilege of helping plan and lead Easter worship at Grand Avenue Temple this last weekend.  It was the third year that GAT and Resurrection have held a combined service and it was a beautiful thing!

Fox News came out and covered the morning and though I despise their title and some of the tone of their spot, I appreciate the positive press.

Salvation and Redemption

I’m working on the sermon I’ll be preaching at Resurrection the weekend after Easter and I’m interested in some feedback.

1. Do you understand Salvation and Redemption to be synonomous?
2. How do you define Salvation?
3. How do you define Redemption?
4. If you define them differently, what relationship do you see between the two?

Please post comments here and thanks in advance.

Resurrection Holy Week and Easter Worship

It is hard to believe that it is already Wednesday of Holy Week; Lent is flying by.  I am looking forward to some great worship opportunities at Resurrection in the coming days and would love to invite you to join me.  You can read all about Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter worship here.

I will be attending one of the Saturday evening services, likely 7pm.  Sunday morning I’m co-leading the joint service that Resurrection is having with Grand Avenue Temple.  It has been a blessing to work on the planning process with Ron Brooks, their senior pastor, and I look forward to leading worship with him.  Musicians and worship leaders from both congregations will be involved with what is sure to be a very special day.  Worship begins at 10:00, but a special time of gathering music begins at 9:15.  You can find information about their location and parking here.

Finally, if you don’t live in the Kansas City area, I’d invite you to join us for worship on the webstream for our Praise Service on Saturday at 7pm or Sunday at 5pm or our Traditions Service on Sunday at 9am and 11am (all times are CST).

Have a great rest of your Holy Week and a blessed Easter!

Lenten Teaching – The Trial and Crucifixion

I’m looking forward to an opportunity to teach the Resurrection community tomorrow evening, April 7th.  Throughout Lent different pastors have been teaching a Tuesday night follow-up session to the previous weekend’s sermon.  Tomorrow I get to engage Jesus’ trial and crucifixion.  I’ll be specifically building off of Adam’s sermon from the weekend.

I’d love to have you join me for this event.  We’ll be meeting in the Wesley Covenant Chapel on Central Campus from 7:00 – 8:30 tomorrow.