Church of the Resurrection in Leawood looks for $60 million, finds $63.2 million

The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection has surpassed its goal of raising $60 million in pledges to fund a new Leawood sanctuary and other improvements totaling $90 million, church officials said this week.

“No other Methodist church has raised that much in a campaign like this,” the Rev. Adam Hamilton told worshippers on Sunday, capping a three-year capital drive.

He said more than 3,800 households pledged a total of $63.2 million to the project near Roe Avenue and 137th Street.

The new sanctuary, slated to be completed in early 2017, will span 155,000 square feet and seat 3,500 at the existing campus.

By exceeding its fundraising goal, Resurrection will be able to rely less on borrowing to finance the improvements, said church spokeswoman Cathy Bien.

Resurrection, with nearly 19,000 members, is the largest Protestant church in the Kansas City area.

This story was originally published March 31, 2014 at 3:56 PM with the headline "Church of the Resurrection in Leawood looks for $60 million, finds $63.2 million."