Dear Resurrection Family,

It’s great to be back home after a meaningful journey with Resurrection members in the footsteps of Moses in Egypt and Jordan. I’ll tell you more about it at the end of this email.

This weekend, I’ll be back in the pulpit preaching on the ninth commandment: Do not testify falsely against your neighbor. While originally focused on false testimony in a trial – what we call perjury – as we’ve seen with all the commandments, this one is about far more than courtroom testimony. It includes defamation, slander and gossip, as well as deceit. We’ll look at this commandment through the lens of Jesus.

I can promise you’ll find that this commandment and this weekend’s message will speak to you. Invite a friend and join us for worship.

Backpacks for Hunger in our partner schools

Did you know over 1,700 bags of food are packed and transported by nearly 140 volunteers for distribution through Resurrection’s partner schools each Friday? These are provided to children who the schools identify as at risk of not receiving enough food on the weekend when they do not receive the free and reduced breakfast and lunches the schools provide.

You can support the Backpacks for Hunger ministry by volunteering and by donating to help cover the cost of the food. You can provide nutritious, child-friendly food for a student for an entire school year for $210, or $6/week.

Would you join LaVon and me in providing weekend meals for a child in need? For the cost of a large coffee, you can provide food for a child for a weekend. Learn more about this vital ministry on the website or make a donation online (for “giving type” select “Backpacks for Hunger”).

Great opportunities coming up this week:

• Crossroads Ministry’s Pre-Retirement Seminar: “Charting a Path for What’s Next," Saturday, Oct. 19, 8 am – noon, in the Leawood Foundry. Great speakers and information if you are newly retired or planning to retire. Register here.
• Presentation on Suicide Risk and Prevention in Older Adults, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 1 pm, in the Leawood Student Center. Recommended for anyone caring for older adults. Registration is required.
• Disaster Early Response Team (ERT) training, Saturday, Oct. 26, 9 am. ERT trained volunteers are the first group to provide assistance once emergency workers have deemed an area safe after a disaster. Learn more and register here.

Eight down and two to go - keep memorizing the Ten Commandments!

We’re almost done with the Ten Commandments. We’ve been working on memorizing them. Here are the eight we’ve covered so far – I’m including them each week to help you in memorizing them.

1. You must have no other gods before me.
2. Do not make an idol for yourself.
3. Do not use Yahweh your God’s name as if it were of no significance.
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. Do not commit murder.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.

Thoughts on Egypt and Jordan

The Holy Land is often described as the Fifth Gospel because being there changes how you read and understand the other four gospels and how you see the life of Jesus.

In a similar way, I would say that Egypt and Jordan, where the story of Moses and the Exodus take place, are like the Sixth Book of the Torah – they, too, change how you read and understand the story of Moses and the Exodus. As any who were on the Egypt trip can attest, it was not so much a vacation as a pilgrimage – it was at times hard and exhausting but, particularly at those times, one connects deeply with the story of Moses and the Israelites.

The joy of these trips is in stepping into the biblical story. Walking where the events occurred, putting yourself into the story and experiencing what, in this case, the Israelites experienced as they journeyed through the Sinai, or Moses experienced as he hiked up and down Mt. Sinai to meet God, we encounter God in new and beautiful ways. They create moments of insight and, if we look for them, times to connect with God in profound ways. They also create deep fellowship and camaraderie among those who participate. New friendships are made through the journey.

I have far more to say about this trip but am running out the door for an appointment. If you are interested in seeing photos of the journey, check out my Facebook or Twitter posts.

Thank you for the opportunity to lead such trips. I try to lead one of these biblical trips every other year and my hope is that everyone who is able will participate in one of these trips at least once in your lifetime – particularly the trips to the Holy Land. Our pastors lead trips each year. The next trip I will lead is to the Holy Land in February of 2021.

Looking forward to being in worship this weekend!

Adam