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We Are "BUILDING ON FAITH!"
At Resurrection, we believe God has an exciting future in store for us! Let's
look at how we got where we are, where we are going and how God is going to get
us there.
Building on the Past
Led by Pastor Leo Nielsen, 6 families began worshipping in the basement of
his Haysville home in 1957. On May 3, 1958, Resurrection Lutheran Church was
formally established with 64 charter members. Land was purchased and the
congregation soon moved into the chapel house. In 1968 the present church
building at 521 W. Grand was dedicated
Building in the Present
Today, Resurrection is a diverse congregation of all ages. Since 1996 we
have again called a full-time pastor, gone to 2 Sunday services, added staff and
volunteers, and seen small group ministries and outreach activities grow with
each year. With an average worship attendance of 120, along with increasing
member participation, our present facility is typically overcrowded and unable
to support our programming needs.
Building for the Future
We reach well beyond Haysville into the surrounding area. Along
with Wichita, this includes communities such as Clearwater, Oatville, and Derby.
Our new 10 acre site is just west of Haysville on 71st St., a main thoroughfare
for southwest Sedgwick County. As the projected growth for the area promises to
be significant over the next five years, a new church building will not only
continue to provide high visibility for us, but will also give us the space we
need to fulfill our unique call to ministry.
An Appeal for Faith
The theme for our Capital Appeal is "Building on Faith!" which truly
captures the heart of both our heritage and mission, along with all our hopes
and dreams for the future.
Such a bold theme is a definite reflection of the overwhelming vote our
congregation made last Spring, in favor of engaging Kairos, Inc. to lead us in
our capital appeal. Our consultant, Wes Hendricker, has already begun helping
us prepare for a successful campaign, and will continue to provide guidance and
onsite support over the next several weeks for our many specialized leadership
teams.
Of course, our Capital Building Appeal is more than just a program designed to
help our congregation reach its financial goals. Its primary purpose is to
strengthen our faith and expand our vision, so that we can continue fulfilling
our mission and growing as a family in Christ.
Following Kairos guidelines, an executive team had been selected and is already
hard at work. They are Shari Jordan and Evelyn Clark (Appeal Co-Leaders), Kris
Atcheson, and Pastor Tim Leaf.
Appeal Team Leaders include: Spiritual Life - Diana Schaffer and Noreen Sholts;
Advance Giving - Ray York and Leo Doll; Children and Youth - Betty Batten and
Martha Leaf; Communications - Kim Bennett and Clark Sholts; Mission Rally Sunday
- Candy Saxton; Appeal Sunday Festival - Claudia Howell; and Messengers - Lydia
Evans and Bert Kirkpatrick.
Many other members are involved on these teams and, in light of all the
additional exciting opportunities to get involved, we know that most members of
our congregation will certainly want to participate.
Building on Faith!
A Word from Pastor Leaf
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not
seen. Hebrews 11:1
On a warm Sunday morning barely 2 months ago, 70 saints could be seen gathering
just west of town for our Groundbreaking Celebration. As a part of the service,
I knelt down over the dirt of that old wheat field, and, with my thumb, made a
sign of the cross.
Like the sign of the cross made upon us in our baptism, this mark upon the soil
said what the cross of Christ always says: Whoever and whatever bears this mark
is forever named and claimed by God! Even in the face of death, this cross
stands as a sure and certain sign that hope and new life are always to be had.
Consider this: Groundbreaking celebrations typically take place after the
capital campaign ‹after the financing plans and building contracts are signed
and in place. But not so with us as we have decided to build on faith! Faith!
It's the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen!
Faith! It's the people of Resurrection saying, "Yes! God is going to grow
a new church right here, in this empty old wheat field! You just watch!"
And so I invite you in the exciting weeks ahead to keep lifting high this cross
as we work together to build on faith! Above all I encourage you to keep
praying the following prayer, which we said together at our ground-breaking
service. Keep praying in faith! For I am convinced - God is going to answer!
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe. You have given us joy
in a work begun in your name. May we soon celebrate your presence in the house
of your church, and, in the time to come, praise your name forever in our
eternal home. Amen.
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RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH