The North Spring United Methodist Church in Blue Springs held its last worship service on Sunday, but it is by no means the end.
In August, the church plans to reopen its doors and celebrate what Tom and Sherree Gorman are calling one of the biggest events to occur in Eastern Jackson County: the arrival of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection at Blue Springs.
Former church members (and some new members, staff are hoping) will experience a newly remodeled church on Aug. 15. At that time, it will become a satellite campus of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, a Leawood, Kansas, based church that is one of the largest in the country.
Sherree Gorman thinks it’s a good idea, one that she feels will attract new members and help increase members beyond the current 150.
“I’m one of the members who is very excited about it,” she said.
Both she and her husband, Tom, who serves as the finance chairman of North Spring, began this project about a year ago.
Their aim was what all churches aim for: more exposure to the word of God and the modern means and techniques with which to do it.
“This building is big and was meant to hold 500 people,” Tom said. “So it’s been difficult for us to keep up with it, to pay for it, things like that. We want to continue to keep up the legacy of the church.”
North Spring began in Blue Springs in 1994, moving to its current location at 601 N.E. Jefferson Street in 2000. Since then membership numbers have been steady. The Gorman’s were one of the original members.
Come August, the sanctuary will be the most unrecognizable area.
Besides general improvements, a screen will be installed that will allow staff at the United Methodist Church in Leawood to broadcast live in Blue Springs.
Pastor Hubert Neth, who called Wednesday his last day at the church, said the change is meant to reach more people and keep the Blue Springs facility operating and viable.
“It’s an approach that’s beginning to spread to more and more churches,” Neth said.
“A large church with extension sites. As far as I know, it’s the only church in the city that will offer technological advances like this.”
The Leawood church has approximately 11,000 active adult members and 4,000 children members, which makes it one of – if not the – largest Methodist churches in the country.
Neth said the Blue Springs church will still have a pastor and staff.
During services, the sermon will be the only portion that will be broadcast.
“Prayers, communion – those will still be performed by an acting pastor,” Neth said. “People have expressed their concerns about that.”
Features offered at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection include sermon videos and download resources; a sermon podcast delivered to a desktop each week; and live worship services via the internet Sundays at 10:45 a.m. and 5 p.m.
For more information visit www.northspring.org or www.cor.org
