KC Pastor Adam Hamilton to Receive American Public Square Founder's Civility Award

The Rev. Adam Hamilton, founding pastor of Kansas City's United Methodist Church of the Resurrection (Resurrection), has spent his pastoral career bringing together diverse communities for the common good.

Because of his efforts here in Kansas City, Rev. Hamilton will be recognized for his courageous stands and thoughtful work with the first Founder's Civility Award by American Public Square at Jewell (APS). Rev. Hamilton will be honored during APS' upcoming Evening at the Square virtual event on Tuesday evening, Oct. 13. The public is invited to celebrate Hamilton during the event that will also feature a moderated panel with founders of The Lincoln Project. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year's Evening at the Square will be a dynamic VIRTUAL event beginning at 6:15 p.m. Tickets for APS' Evening at The Square are now available at https://americanpublicsquare.org/event/tlp/

The Founder's Civility Award is intended to honor the accomplishments of a remarkable leader who has demonstrated a commitment to bringing together Kansas City's diverse community to engage in civil, fact-based dialogue. APS is a Kansas City-based nonprofit community organization working to improve the tone and quality of public discourse.

"We believe Adam embodies the ideals of civility in every interaction and serves as a model for us all," said Ambassador Allan Katz, APS founder. "We are thrilled he is the inaugural recipient of our new award."

Today Hamilton is the lead pastor of Resurrection, the largest United Methodist Church in the United States with over 22,000 congregants. A Kansas City native, Hamilton earned a bachelor's degree in Pastoral Ministry from Oral Roberts and a Master of Divinity Degree from Southern Methodist University, where he was awarded the B'nai B'rith Award in Social Ethics. The author of more than 30 books, Hamilton was named one of the "Ten people to watch in America's spiritual landscape" by Religion and Ethics Newsweekly. He has received numerous community service awards including the Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Award for his work in racial reconciliation.

On learning of his selection as the first recipient of the APS Civility Award, Rev. Hamilton said, "At a time when our city, our nation and our world are experiencing so many challenges, we must be willing to come together, with open hearts and to have the courtesy and respect to acknowledge perspectives different from our own. In that spirit, I am honored to be associated with American Public Square and delighted that we can lead the way for others around the country from right here in Kansas City."

In its continued commitment to further civil, fact-based discourse, APS invited Lincoln Project founders to engage in a conversation moderated by Ambassador Katz and Political and Communication Strategist Rosy Gonzales Speers. The Lincoln Project was founded in 2019 by a group ofa??political strategists who seek to, in their own words,a??"hold accountable those who would violate their oaths to the Constitution and would put others before Americans."

The community is invited to participate in Evening at The Square and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Tickets are $75 for APS members; $100 for general admission; $50 for Young Professionals (30 & under) & Seniors (70-plus); and $10 for Students.

Evening at the Square is APS' one major fundraiser supporting its events, programs and initiatives throughout the region that feature speakers of both local and national acclaim, foster fact-based, civil discourse and are expressly nonpartisan. For more information, please visit https://americanpublicsquare.org/event/tlp/

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