By: Jane Angle
Yoga has been described as teaching flexibility, balance, strength and providing stress relief. Resurrection's Holy Yoga instructor Anna Grabrian adds another element in her faith-based yoga class. Her students pray throughout class time, listen to Christian music, and hear Scripture interspersed along with the physical techniques being taught. Her class provides a tranquil, non-judgmental and non-competitive atmosphere allowing participants to seek Christ as they exercise.
Anna is a registered Holy Yoga instructor and is certified to teach Holy Yoga to Pre and Post-Natal women. She credits Holy Yoga as particularly helpful during her second and most recent pregnancy by giving her more flexibility, less back pains and even an easier labor.
However, her classes are not just for pregnant women. Rather those who attend include males and women of all ages. The age range includes 20-year-olds and those who are past retirement age. Although her original class is full with approximately 25 participants, her second class on Saturday evenings continues to grow.
Many people think of Yoga and associate it with the Hindu religion. It is a Hindu word, or more correctly a Sanskrit word from the Vedic civilization. That is not a point of contention with Holy Yoga and its philosophy though. As Anna explained, why should Christians not worship with their bodies as well? She quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 that says “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
The mission statement for Holy Yoga says this, “Holy Yoga is an experiential worship created to deepen people’s connection to Christ. Our sole purpose is to facilitate a Christ honoring experience that offers an opportunity to believers and non-believers alike to authentically connect God through His Word, worship and wellness.” Anna describes Holy Yoga as different from other types of Yoga in that she says, “The Yoga is the same-Spirituality if the difference.”
Click here to learn more about Holy Yoga at Resurrection.
“Let’s get this show on the road” is not an old cliché but rather describes a teen driving clinic sponsored by the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection and Baron MINI of Kansas City. The event for area teens and their parents will be held on October 26th from 10 am - 2 pm at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.
Young drivers can discover first-hand the dangers of distracted and impaired driving while being taught by internationally accomplished Indy 500 race car drivers. In one exercise the drivers will be required to read road signs while performing cognitive distractions like counting backwards while following a winding, slow-placed course.
In addition to the distracted driving course, a skid control course will also be offered using cars equipped with special rear-end equipment that causes actual skidding. The teens will then be instructed on how to handle such a situation. There will also be participation by the Leawood Fire Department which will include a demonstration of an extraction from a wrecked vehicle.
Resurrection member Britton Hill is helping coordinate the event. He views this as a fun opportunity along with his employer to offer needed safety information and skills for developing drivers. The need for additional teen driver training is supported by the fact that auto accidents are the #1 killer of teenagers in the United States and claim over 3,000 lives each year. The chance of a teenager being in an automobile crash during their first three years of driving is 89.2% according to Miles Ahead data.
- Jane Angle
Resurrection brought out a total of 338 volunteers, including 34 house captains to serve on a beautiful October 12th making a difference to assist the elderly, disabled, and veteran homeowners for 17 owner-occupied homes! This year’s strategy was to focus on our footprint, 18th-29th, Troost-Prospect, transforming a concentrated area.
This year, homes received new windows, new roofs, electrical work, plumbing work, ramps, decks, porches, and one home, received a new bathroom & kitchen! A team of 40 servants covered a ten block area picking up trash in the Wendell Phillips neighborhood. A long-time business across the street from Wendell Phillips Elementary, H&S Deli, was given a fresh coat of red paint by 40 servants.
As a special touch this year, the Resurrection Painter Art Guild donated paintings with a prayer on the back to each of the 17 homeowners for their homes.
This effort has been months in the planning. Resurrection's project was lead by Larry Hedenkamp. The end result certainly included improved homes, but also some great fellowship. Read more about the event here. Below are some photos this year's event. Click on each photo to learn more about what happened at that house.
Check out a day in the life in a Rez Downtowner:
On a beautiful Saturday morning at 24th and Vine St. in Kansas City, LC Hawkins looks up at his 100-year-old building being transformed right in front of his eyes. Christmas in October brought out volunteers from Resurrection and Paseo Baptist Church who would use more than 40 gallons of paint to give his building a facelift.
Hawkins is now in his 80s and remembers when the street was filled with stores and offices in what was once the heart of the African American community in Kansas City. Now, his building and Wendell Phillips Elementary across the street are all that’s left on that block. He has owned H&S Food Services for 25 years. It started as a deli where people could come after church to grab lunch, and became so popular Hawkins expanded to include full catering services. On Saturday, he and one of his family members cooked hot dogs on the grill to provide lunch for the volunteers.
“I don’t think we have ever had anything like this done before,” Hawkins said.
This year Resurrection brought out a total of 338 volunteers, including 34 house captains to assist the elderly, disabled and veterans of 17 owner-occupied homes and businesses. This year’s strategy was to focus on Resurrection’s partner neighborhood between 18th and 29th streets north to south, and from Prospect to Troost Avenue east to west.
Resurrection’s Christmas in October leader Larry Hendenkanp recalls one of his favorite stories of the day. A group of about 50 volunteers along with several of the neighborhood association leaders were assigned to pick up trash throughout the neighborhood. As they worked their way up and down the streets, residents began to curiously peek out of their doors.
“Who are you with?”
“Why are you here?”
It wasn’t long until some of the residents offered up their wheelbarrows and joined the volunteers in helping to pick up trash.
“I think that was the tipping point,” Hendenkanp said.
In the backyard of a house on 27th and Brooklyn Street, the radio broadcast of a KU football game served as background noise for volunteers who were building a wheelchair ramp onto the home of a 96-year-old lady. Weeks before, as house leader Deb Holsteen was planning the project, she received word from a man whose parents had recently passed away and was willing to donate the ramp. Good timing.
“I think that was a God moment,” Holsteen said.
In total there were 36 house captains, usually two assigned to a project. They had the task of managing an average of 20-25 volunteers per house and assigning duties. There were also instances of volunteers who were willing to go above and beyond those duties. At the Brooklyn St. house, they learned of a particular window the lady in the wheelchair enjoyed looking out of during the day. One of the volunteers noticed that the area in her view was covered in brush. She cleaned out the area, then bought and planted flowers.
“What’s amazing is she came up with that idea on her own,” Holsteen said. “Sometimes I just step back and say, ‘Wow’ when I see all this taking place.”
Next door, house captains Jason and Jessica Eden oversaw volunteers rebuilding the backstairs and painting inside. The Edens are both in their late 20s and this is their first year serving as house captains.
“It’s been a learning process, but it has been a lot of fun,” Jessica Eden said. “The key to today was flexibility. We had great helpers who were able to switch tasks to whatever they were most comfortable with.”
Later Jessica would provide a gift to the homeowner to commemorate the day. The Resurrection Art Guild had offered to donate their artwork to all the homeowners. Attached on the back was the workman’s prayer.
“We told the residents to hang it in their house so they could think of the day they had,” Hendenkamp said. “Also, we wanted them to know that we had prayed over the house. Most of the homeowners really liked it – some cried and it was very touching.”
This was Hendenkanp’s first year leading the program at Resurrection, and he is already looking towards 2014. He will be recruiting house captains in May and June. Resurrection will focus again on the Wendell Phillips neighborhood. Hendenkanp looks at companies like Hallmark and Black & Veatch which helped with 50 houses and thinks Resurrection can reach even bigger heights. Regardless of the number, Hedenkanp and house captains such as Holsteen can see the progress being made in the neighborhood.
“I think if we keep being out in front, then Christmas in October and other projects will just explode,” Holsteen said. “I think the word of mouth and the physical presence here will catch fire.”
From: Jennifer Ross
Resurrection has been serving with people with special needs for over 20 years. The congregation has grown in his comfort level of how to interact with people with special needs. In order to increase the comfort level of the congregation, I thought it would be helpful to share these tips. People with special needs are more like than different neurotypcial people. When I talk to our friends with special needs, I talk to them just like I would to anyone. They like the praise music, just like me, they like the video clips, just like me, they love Christmas at Resurrection, just like me! By embracing our congregation members with special needs, we are treated to the joy of seeing loving unconditionally.
Below are the Ten Commandments for Welcoming Persons with Disabilities to Church
1. Treat a person with a disability as you would anyone else. Relax when communicating. Rely on natural courtesy, consideration and common sense. Avoid getting flustered or irritated if misunderstandings arise. Repeat yourself if you sense misunderstanding, or ask the person to repeat himself or herself if you do not understand. Here are the Ten Commandments For Welcoming Persons with Disabilities to Church.
2. Address the individual, not an assistant, interpreter or family member.
3. Treat adults with disabilities as adults rather than as children, regardless of the disability.
4. Speak at a normal rate, without exaggeration or overemphasis.
5. Do not be afraid to ask questions about the person’s disability.
6. To facilitate communication, have pads of paper and pencils available in all meeting rooms and other gathering places on parish property. Use them when helpful.
7. Allow people to do things for themselves when they want to, even if it takes longer or results in mistakes. Do not always “do for” the person.
8. Offer assistance, but do not impose if help is not desired.
9. During all gatherings or meetings, allow time to attend to personal needs and rest. Be patient.
10. Respect the individual’s personal space and auxiliary aids. Do not lean against or push a wheelchair, pet a service animal in a harness, move wheelchairs, crutches, white canes or other assistive devices out of reach of a person who uses them.
Source: 2000 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications.
To learn more about Matthew's Ministry, click here
Resurrection's Troost Elementary School Liaison Doug Harris talks about the new playground that was recently built at Troost Elementary School:
"Last week we added new playground equipment to replace what was lost in a fire a year ago. The equipment was purchased by the church and installed by Resurrection volunteers, residents of Healing House, and members of Gentlemen of the Round Table. (Healing House and GRT are both organizations helping people get their lives in order with a strong faith-based component.) Prior to Resurrection's involvement, the playground at Troost was just a large asphalt area, more of a parking lot than a playground. Now the school has a wonderful new place for the children to play and be creative, enhancing their physical and social/emotional growth. It's a great addition for the neighborhood, too, as the playground functions much like a park for the residents."
Below are a few photos from the event.
Also check out the Annual Performance Reports for Wendell Phillips, Phillips Wheatley and Troost. These are the reports the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) releases each year to show school/district progress. Phillis Wheatley earned 65%, Wendell Phillips earned 96.4%, and Troost earned 17.1%. That places Wendell Phillip in the full accreditation range, Phillis Wheatley in the provisionally accredited range, and Troost in the unaccredited range.
Wendell Phillips Elementary Report
Phillis Wheatley Elementary Report
Troost Elementary Report
The above reports reward points based on improvement rather than just that year's hard data. If you want to look at the actual data (aggregate attendance, MAP scores, etc.), that is available on DESE's website.
Volunteer Opportunities: On the Kansas side, you can volunteer at Welborn Elementary School's Fall Festival on Thursday night. Volunteers can help supervise carnivals games and serve pizza. Contact Ann Carter at anngcarter@gmail.com for details. Volunteers would need to arrive at Welborn Elementary at 5 pm. Welborn is located at 5200 Leavenworth Rd Kansas City, KS 6610
On the Missouri side, decorate your trunk and give out candy and/or goodies (small toys/pencils/stickers, etc) for our Trunk or Treat event at Phillis Wheatley Elementary. 5-10 cars are needed, bring a friend or your small group for this fun filled afternoon to support Wheatley.
When: Tuesday, October 29th from 1pm-3pm.
Where: Wheatley Elementary, 2415 Agnes Ave, Kansas City, MO
Sign-up: Contact Ann Hays at ann@hayshome.com
Also a reminder for those interested in tutoring, our next Tutor Trainings are Thursday October 10th from 11:30 am - noon and Thursday, October 24th fro 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm.
Re:Work is a ministry of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection seeking to help people in their 20s and 30s rediscover the meaning & purpose of work. Learn more about the program here at http://www.cor.org/rework
By: Matt Williams
I hope this message finds you doing well. It is amazing that we are already in our second month and over a week into October.
I wanted to send a quick note about what to expect for the next month - all the information is below.
Also, if you haven't joined us yet it's not too late! You are welcome to join anytime. We have series and topics, however each week is intentionally designed as a stand-alone so you won't feel like you have missed out on anything.
As always, don't hesitate to email me if you have any questions!
Tonight - Troy Fowler returns for a 2nd week!
In case you missed Troy last week, no worries because he's back again this week! We are very excited to welcome back our first guest speaker tomorrow, Troy Fowler. Troy is a 27 year lifescience executive with a passion for professional and personal development. Troy will once again be sharing his experiences navigating the connection between work and faith. Whether you were here for last week or not, Troy's message will encourage, inspire, and equip you to navigate the connection between your work and your faith.
Troy is an engaging speaker with a wealth of valuable insight and experience to share. I hope you'll join us as we learn from Troy's journey!
On deck: Crucial Conversations
Beginning Tuesday, October 15 we will be diving into the topic of Crucial Conversations. What is a "crucial conversation"? A conversation is considered crucial when three elements are present:
1. The stakes are high
2. Opinions vary
3. Emotions run strong
We have all had these types of conversations and will undoubtedly have many more in the future. What ironic, though, is that the more crucial the converstaion, the less likely we are to handle it well.
Using the best-selling book "Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High" we will spend three weeks exploring the dynamics of crucial converstaions so that we can be at our best when it matters most.
Mission Trip to Jamaica for 20s and 30s
January 4-11 is a trip we are especially inviting people in their 20s and 30s to go to Jamaica to serve.
The trip focus is:
Partner with St. Ann's Methodist Church
• Serving in their feeding program
• Serving alongside the congregants in the community/ school
Partner with St. Ann's Bay Primary School
• Literacy education - reading with the children & bringing them books
• Light construction - on the permieter wall or painting the classrooms
Partner with Methodist Farm
• Work with Rev. Althone on his papaya & avocado farm to raise funds for the Methodist District of Jamaica and economic empowerment
If you're interested in more information or signing up, you can visit the webpage at www.cor.org/jamaica. There are trip applications and scholarship applications on the right hand side of the page.
If you have any specific questions please feel free to contact our Beyond KC Missions Program Director, Sheree Reece at sheree.reece@cor.org
Live Forward is a ministry at Resurrection for anyone who feels stuck in a hurt or a habit that they want to move past. Live Forward incorporates the reoccurring message of God’s generous grace as well as the best content from science and psychological research.
By Steven Blair
You can listen to last week's Live Forward message here
I enjoyed spending last Thursday with you talking about Personal Easter and how we can 'lean into' our joyful experiences. Here is the clip of Brene Brown I used last week.
This Thursday is going to be great. I need to announce two big things that are happening on October 10th.
First,
A new sermon series 'Daring Greatly' will begin Thursday. I believe these next three weeks will touch on topics that your friends and family will want to hear. The focus will be on the work of Brene Brown and how Faith adds that nudge to Live Forward. Brene Brown has skyrocketed from being unknown to featured on Oprah and TED Talks. You can see the Ted Talk that made her famous at www.brenebrown.com. Brene Brown researched Shame for 6 years and then another 6 on being Wholehearted in the face of inner struggles. This is a great message for me and I think it would be a great message for you. It is as important a message for men as it is women. I will send you a special invite email that you can send along to invite others.
Second,
Resurrection Care Night begins. From this Thursday on, we will share a meal from 5:30-6:15 with people attending other Congregational Care Classes. The meal each week will be free and catered.
A little at 6:00 each week we will have an added time for announcements led by Karen Lampe, the Executive Pastor of Congregational Care, followed by a song. At 6:15pm, people will begin throwing away their trash so that Live Forward can begin worship at 6;30pm.
I am very excited about Resurrection Care Night. I think you will be too.
Dinner 5:30-6:30pm (Student Center in East Building)
Worship 6:30-7:20 pm (Student Center in East Building)
Small Groups 7:30-8:30pm (In Rooms Announced in Bulletins)
Common Grounds Cafe (8:30-9:00pm (Room 221)
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Steven Blair
Reoccurring Announcements
Childcare Childcare is free, but registration is required before each weekly meeting. Please contact KidsCOR at 913-544-0285 or childcare@cor.org to make a reservation.
Please try to register before noon on Wednesday.
Devotions by Text
You can sign up to receive these reflections by text by texting 74574 and entering LF
Propel: Live Forward for High School Students
Meets Thursday Nights from
6:30-8:30pm in Room 2220 located in the West Building. Just show up or email steven.blair@cor.org with questions.
Thursday's Dinner
Fried Chicken, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, Tossed Salad, Rolls, Brownies, Iced Tea and Water.
We are working with the caterer to offer some low calorie options in the upcoming weeks.
Resurrection Care Night Coming
Beginning October 10th, Resurrection will begin offering most of its classes on Thursday Nights. People from all classes will eat together in the Student Center from 5:30-6:30pm. There will be a 5 minute greeting/announcement/song time a little after 6pm for everyone's attention.
As you attend Live Forward, keep your eyes open for other classes that you might like to attend for a few weeks before rejoining Live Forward.