United Methodist Church of the Resurrection

The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection is a congregation of the United Methodist Church.[1] The original campus is located in Leawood, Kansas, with additional locations in Olathe, Kansas, downtown Kansas City, Missouri, Blue Springs, Missouri and Overland Park, Kansas.[2] It is the largest United Methodist congregation in the world, with a membership of over 22,000[3] and average weekly attendance for all campuses of over 13,000 people in 2019.[4] The United Methodist Saint Paul School of Theology moved its facilities from Kansas City, Missouri to the Church of the Resurrection in fall of 2013.

Church of the Resurrection
United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
38°52′50″N 94°38′29″W
LocationLeawood, KS
CountryUnited States
DenominationUnited Methodist Church
Websitewww.cor.org
History
Founded1990
Founder(s)Adam Hamilton
DedicationResurrection of Jesus
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Adam Hamilton

The Church of the Resurrection’s founding and senior pastor is Reverend Adam Hamilton. Hamilton started the congregation in 1990. Hamilton is committed to the renewal of the mainline church, especially the United Methodist Church. In 2012 he was invited by the White House to deliver the message at the National Prayer Service as a part of President Obama’s second inauguration.

History

In 1990, Church of the Resurrection started as a small church with a goal to welcome thinking people not actively involved in a church. Resurrection met for its first worship service in McGilley Funeral Home, with approximately 10 people in attendance. By 1992, attendance grew and the church began meeting at Leawood Elementary School.

They moved into their first permanent sanctuary in the fall of 1994, which is now the Wesley Covenant Chapel. As growth continued, the church constructed a larger sanctuary in 1998 that currently serves as the student center. The continued growth made way for a 3,050-seat sanctuary, an educational wing and prayer chapel in 2004. Live web streaming of worship services began in late 2008 for those unable to worship at a physical location. Since the launch of live streaming, groups around the city and country gather to watch the services online. By 2011, Church of the Resurrection was noted as one of the ‘Top Churches to Watch in America’[5] and held 24 Candlelight Christmas Eve worship services between its four campuses, with 27,936 people in attendance.

In 2017, the church opened a new sanctuary which seats 3,500 and includes a large stained glass window called The Resurrection Window. The Resurrection Window was designed by Judson Studios to tell the biblical story, capturing themes of scripture including creation, sin, redemption, and restoration. The church now averages an attendance of over 13,000 per weekend.

  • Exterior of church, Note very large size of stain glass window
  • Judson Studios monumental work - A Story of Three Gardens
  • Detail of the head of Christ

References
  1. Hartford Institute for Religion Research Archived January 24, 2009, at the Wayback Machine "Megachurch search results" (listing)
  2. The Pitch "Christmas Eve at Adam's House" By Kendrick Blackwood, December 19, 2002
  3. "Leawood's United Methodist Church of the Resurrection eyes a $90 million overhaul".
  4. "Top 100 list" (PDF). www.outreachmagazine.com. 2014.
  5. "Top Churches to Watch in America".
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