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Hyde Park United Methodist

677 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 days ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratings

Sermons and talks from Hyde Park United Methodist. Making God's Love Real. Find out more at hydeparkumc.org

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Episodes

Beyond the Sermon: Howard Thurman

July 15, 2024 16:00 - 14 minutes - 9.83 MB

Mat and Justin talk about the legacy of Howard Thurman and how we can direct our beliefs into actions for justice in the community.

Voices of Inspiration, Part 3 // The Rev. Justin LaRosa // July 14, 2024

July 15, 2024 11:00 - 20 minutes - 14.2 MB

Howard Thurman was one of the greatest preachers, writers, and mystics of the 20th century. His book “Jesus and the Disinherited” was a landmark work that invited us to see Jesus on the side of the oppressed, and inspired us to work through non-violent means to bring justice and social change. Every day, Thurman read Psalm 139, as a source of strength and courage, and verses 13-18 capture the intimate relationship he sought to have with God.  HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions:...

Beyond the Sermon: Mother Teresa

July 08, 2024 16:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MB

Mat and Magrey dive deeper into Mother Teresa's story, paying particular attention to her own struggles with doubt, faith, and God's perceived absence. We talk about what we can learn from that today and how we can manage our own anxieties and fears. Resources: "The Questions Jesus Asked" Magrey deVega https://a.co/d/05e3zfA1 "Come Be My Light" Mother Teresa https://a.co/d/02AQBil8

Voices of Inspiration, Part 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // July 7, 2024

July 08, 2024 11:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MB

Mother Theresa of Calcutta was the greatest charitable force in our lifetimes. She inspired us to give of ourselves humbly and obediently for the sake of the poor and needy, regardless of the cost. Hers was a living embodiment of the psalmist’s words, to “raise the poor out of dust, and the needy out of the ash heap.” Her life and witness is captured in her quote, based on Psalm 113: “Joy is prayer; joy is strength: joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.”  HydeParkU...

Beyond The Sermon: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

July 01, 2024 16:00 - 10 minutes - 7.32 MB

Mat and Magrey sit down to discuss the impact Dietrich Bonhoeffer had on Magrey's calling to ministry and the conflict between our inner and outer selves.

Voices of Inspiration, Part 1 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // June 30, 2024

July 01, 2024 11:00 - 21 minutes - 14.6 MB

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one of the most significant martyrs of the 20th century, whose courageous stance against the Hitler and Christian Nationalism continues to inspire us. In his famous book “The Cost of Discipleship,” he calls the church to remember that when God calls people to follow him, he “calls them to come and die.”  HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. Who have been the significant “voices of inspiration” in your own spiritual journey?   2. What is something new y...

Hard to Believe, Part 5 // The Rev. Justin LaRosa // June 23, 2024

June 24, 2024 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MB

Prayer is the lifeblood of the disciple of Jesus. In his final days with the disciples, Mark told the disciples in Mark that their faith would allow them to pray with such conviction and confidence that whatever they asked for would be granted to them by God. But that belief carries an important precaution. Prayer is not a cosmic vending machine, that demands God to act on our own terms. Prayer is an act of vulnerability and obedience, in which we declare our dependence on God, and our willi...

Hard to Believe, Part 4 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // June 16, 2024

June 17, 2024 11:00 - 19 minutes - 13.4 MB

For many, the existence of suffering and evil in the world is the greatest hurdle to full faith and belief in God. It seems irreconcilable that a God who is all-powerful and all-loving could allow the presence of pain and hardship. It is a dilemma that preacher and biblical scholar Tom Long called “the impossible chess match,” in which there is no clear and clean outcome. But faith allows us to trust where there are no easy answers, and follow God when we ask our hardest questions.  HydePar...

Hard to Believe, Part 3 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // June 9, 2024

June 10, 2024 11:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MB

The early church theologian Anselm defined God as “a being than which nothing greater can be conceived.” This central premise led to the classic “omni” qualities of God: Omnipresence (God is everywhere), omnipotence (God is all powerful), and omnipresent (God is all knowing). These qualities have occasionally been problematic for us due to the presence of suffering and evil in the world. By reframing these qualities and incorporating God’s “omnibenevolence” (God’s all-lovingness), we can dis...

Hard to Believe, Part 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // June 2, 2024

June 03, 2024 11:00 - 17 minutes - 12.4 MB

The dual nature of Jesus is central to Christian belief. We believe Jesus was 100% human and 100% divine. It is as difficult to understand this concept empirically (1+1=1) as it is to believe in the trinity (1+1+1=1). But claiming the full humanity and divinity of Jesus allows us to have a full relationship with God, who through Christ is both greater than us and is deeply connected to us.   HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. Do you tend to have a “high” or “low” image of J...

Hard to Believe, Part 1 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // May 26, 2024

May 27, 2024 11:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MB

The doctrine of the trinity is one of the most essential tenets of the Christian faith. It is also the hardest to explain and understand rationally. By claiming our belief in the triune God, we not only allow for the mystery of God’s nature and activity; we also discover how to fully live a trinitarian life, the way God intends.   HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps.com Reflection Questions: 1. What are the hardest questions about the faith that you wrestle with?   2. What is your favorite image of ...

Pentecost Sunday // Logan Kijanski // May 19, 2024

May 20, 2024 11:00 - 14 minutes - 9.82 MB

The arrival of the Holy Spirit not only birthed the church. It also inaugurated a new way of experiencing the power and presence of God, which is the very same way we can experience God today: invisible, but active, and very real. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Life's Highs & Lows, Part 6 // The Rev. Justin LaRosa // May 12, 2024

May 13, 2024 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MB

Walking was the most common form of transport in both the Ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman World. Roads were important facets of the landscape; they enhanced travel, promoted safety and commerce, and improved connections between communities. Many biblical references use the image of a road or path as a metaphor for the faithful life. Discipleship is about taking the journey, one step at a time. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. What landscape are you currently in? 2....

Life's Highs & Lows, Part 5 // The Rev. Sally Campbell-Evans // May 5, 2024

May 06, 2024 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MB

Rivers and streams in the Bible symbolize places of refreshment and nourishment. Elijah was fed by a brook. Jesus was baptized in the river. The Israelites found hope when God parted the Jordan for them so they could enter the Promised Land. Psalm 1 describes the law of God, which enables a person to be planted like a tree in water. We all need times of encouragement that can come from meeting God at the river. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. Among the 1000s of decisions...

Life's Highs & Lows, Part 4 // Mat Hotho // April 28, 2024

April 29, 2024 11:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MB

The heavens declare the glory of God, says the Psalmist. Often throughout the Bible, the skies symbolized the promise and hope of God. The skies contained a rainbow that signified an end to the flood. The pillar of fire and cloud in the sky led the Israelites through the exodus. And in 1 Kings, Elijah instructed his servant to look into the skies for a sign of the end of the drought. That cloud, the size of a human hand, was enough to remind people that God’s promise and provision were immin...

Life's Highs & Lows, Part 3 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // April 21, 2024

April 22, 2024 11:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MB

The wilderness and desert are two of the most common natural landscapes in the Bible. Psalm 107 captures how the desert can be a place of loneliness, stress, and anxiety, which are common experiences for us today. But just as every biblical figure who entered the wilderness discovered, the desert is also a place to experience God’s presence in a new and profound way. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. What are your most vivid memories of being in a desert? 2. Which of the ...

Life's Highs & Lows, Part 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // April 14, 2024

April 15, 2024 11:00 - 16 minutes - 11.3 MB

Just as there are mountaintops in life, so there are valleys. The most famous reference to a valley in the Bible is in Psalm 23, where it depicts the long shadow of grief and loss. This service invites us to name our grief and loss, and points us toward healthy ways to process that grief and find hope. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. What valleys are you experiencing right now?   2. How will you shift from talking about God to connecting personally with God?   3. How wil...

Life's Highs & Lows, Part 1 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // April 7, 2024

April 08, 2024 11:00 - 18 minutes - 13.1 MB

Psalms 120-134 are often referred to as the “Psalms of Ascent,” which would have been uttered as the Israelites ascended the Temple Mount to experience the presence of God. The Bible is filled with “mountaintop moments,” when people experienced God personally and intimately. This service invites us to ask when we have had such moments in our lives, whether on a literal mountain or not. HydeParkUMC/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. What are your most memorable “mountain top” moments?   2. ...

Easter Sunday Message // The Rev. Magrey deVega // March 31, 2024

April 01, 2024 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MB

In Mark’s Easter gospel, the power of the resurrection through Christ can redeem the lingering guilt and shame of our yesterdays, the real time struggle and suffering of our present days, and the fear and anxiety of our tomorrows. God’s resurrection power is timeless, resilient, and always with us. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. What boulder-type burdens are you carrying today?   2. Where have you seen evidence of God’s love at work in your past? In your present?   3. I...

In the Shadow of the Cross, Part 6 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // March 24, 2024

March 25, 2024 11:00 - 17 minutes - 11.7 MB

 The story of Holy Week begins with shouts of Hosanna, but by week’s end, those shouts become cries to murder Jesus. Holy Week is an invitation for us to locate ourselves in the story, and ask, as the old hymn says, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/Easter Reflection Questions: 1. For what reasons are you praying “Hosanna” today?   2. How might your daily prayer time include both verse 24 and 25 of Psalm 118?   3. How will you participa...

In the Shadow of the Cross, Part 5 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // March 17, 2024

March 18, 2024 11:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MB

Jesus compared his imminent death on the cross to the burial of a seed, which is necessary in order for it to spring to new life. Likewise, once we are willing to have Jesus put to death the sin in our lives, we can be raised to new life in Christ. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. What is the most challenging aspect of these  words of Jesus  for you personally?   2. Who has modeled for you servanthood and self-sacrifice?   3. What are the “little deaths” that you are expe...

In the Shadow of the Cross, Part 4 // The Rev. Justin LaRosa // March 10, 2024

March 11, 2024 11:00 - 19 minutes - 13.4 MB

This all-too-familiar story from John 3 captures the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, who came to Jesus at night. It is in the midst of their conversation about being born again that Jesus says the iconic words of John 3:16. Just as Nicodemus came to Jesus in the dark, out of fear of his reputation and a sense of self-preservation, Jesus comes to meet us and shine the light of love and forgiveness. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/Easter Reflection Questions: 1. What does...

In the Shadow of the Cross, Part 3 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // March 3, 2024

March 04, 2024 12:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MB

The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) all place the turning of the tables in the Temple in the middle of Holy Week, after the triumphal entry in Jerusalem. John places the story much, much earlier, right at the outset of the ministry of Jesus. By doing this, John makes the overturning of the tables a preamble to all of Jesus’ miracles and teachings, as if to suggest that overturning our lives is an initial step toward discipleship. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1...

In the Shadow of the Cross, Part 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // February 25, 2024

February 26, 2024 12:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MB

The ministry of Jesus was full of reversals. Rather than feed our ego-driven, self-centered tendencies to focus on our own needs, he called us to lose ourselves, serve others, and give our lives for others. These reversals invert contemporary wisdom and right-size our lives for God. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions 1. How are you alike and unlike the life of Peter in the gospels?  2. In what ways does Jesus’ phrase “Take up your cross” make you feel unsettled, even challenge...

In the Shadow of the Cross, Part 1 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // February 18, 2024

February 19, 2024 12:00 - 14 minutes - 10 MB

The story of the temptation of Jesus offers us a guide for how to deal with the temptations in our lives, and shift our orientation away from ourselves and toward the benefit of other people. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions 1. What lessons did you learn as a child regarding handling your emotions in a healthy way? 2. What emotions do you most struggle with channeling in a positive way? 3. How will you better integrate the fact that you are fully human, made in the image of...

Transfiguration Sunday // The Rev. Sally Campbell Evans // February 11, 2024

February 12, 2024 12:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MB

In Mark’s gospel, the Transfiguration serves as the halfway point in the story of Jesus. It is a marked shift away from the miracles and teachings of Jesus to the journey of Jesus to the cross. Likewise, we need to make a similar shift in our discipleship, away from merely benefiting from Jesus and toward surrender to Jesus and the cross. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. Can you remember a time when you were so overcome with beauty or joy that you were rendered speechless...

You Are Not Alone, Part 5 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // February 4, 2024

February 05, 2024 12:00 - 14 minutes - 10 MB

Perhaps the greatest cause of our loneliness and disconnectedness is the tense political and social climate. What if there was a way to bridge differences and have civil conversations about tough issues? What would that look like and could we model that new way of being? HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps 15 Practical Guidelines from Romans 12:9–21 1.Our love for each other will be genuine.  2.We will hate what is evil.  3.We will make goodness our bond.  4.The only competition between us will be t...

You Are Not Alone, Part 4 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // January 28, 2024

January 29, 2024 12:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MB

Being in a lasting, caring friendship is a true gift. Healthy friendships encourage us when we are down, tell us hard truths when we are reluctant to hear it, and help us be our best selves. HydeparkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. In what ways has your number of friends or closeness of friendships changed over the last several years?   2. Who are your close friends? How can you be a better friend to them?     3. How will you practice constancy, carefulness, candor, and counsel i...

You Are Not Alone, Part 3 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // January 21, 2024

January 22, 2024 12:00 - 14 minutes - 10.2 MB

Even though families are comprised of a variety of types and dynamics, we were all born into one, and we know the kinds of strains, misgivings, and stress that families can bring us. This service will explore biblical insights in strengthening our marriages, our parenting, and our relationships with other family members. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. What is the best thing about your family? What is the hardest thing about your family?   2. How will drawing closer to J...

You Are Not Alone, Part 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // January 14, 2024

January 15, 2024 12:00 - 21 minutes - 14.5 MB

Baptism is the entry rite into Christian community. Our vows remind us that we are called to be part of the church, which Christ has opened to all people. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. What is your favorite memory of a baptism?   2. What do you think God is doing in a baptism?   3. What difference does baptism make for you, in how you think, act, and relate to others?

You Are Not Alone, Part 1 // The Rev. Sally Campbell-Evans // January 7, 2024

January 08, 2024 12:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MB

In Genesis, we discover that God’s creation of the first human being was incomplete until the creation of companionship. We are intrinsically wired to be in connection with other people. God said it was not good for us to be alone; in fact, we are not. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. Who is the person (or the people) in your life that make you feel ‘known’?   2. What is one thing you can do to help alleviate another person’s isolation and make them feel that they are ‘o...

What God Gave You on Christmas is Jesus // The Rev. Magrey deVega // December 31, 2023

January 01, 2024 12:00 - 16 minutes - 11.3 MB

Just as Anna and Simeon received the baby Jesus and gained new hope for the future, we are to take the gift of Christmas and carry it with us all year round.  HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. How long do you tend to keep your Christmas decorations up in your house?   2. What memories do you have this past Christmas of different generations coming together?   3. How will you be a bridge between generations this upcoming year?

What God Wants for Christmas, Part 4 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // December 24, 2023

December 25, 2023 12:00 - 11 minutes - 8.1 MB

We are all familiar with the Nativity story. We know of Mary and Joseph, of the shepherds and the angels. But what about the setting? The stable and the manager? We take a closer look at the setting of the Christmas story and what implications it has on our lives. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions 1. What are your favorite images and scenes in the Christmas story?   2. How will you make room for Jesus to be born anew into your life?   3. How will you allow Jesus to work t...

What God Wants for Christmas, Part 3 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // December 17, 2023

December 18, 2023 12:00 - 17 minutes - 12 MB

Advent is a time of anticipating joy, exemplified in the Magnificat of Mary. Her soul rejoiced at the prospect of the arrival of justice, equality, and liberation for all people. That vision should both encourage us and motivate us to offer joy to others.  HydeParkUMC.org/Christmas HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. When has fear ever blocked your sense of joy?   2. When have you experienced the joy of giving yourself in generosity to others?   3. What is God calling yo...

What God Wants For Christmas, Part 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // December 10, 2023

December 11, 2023 12:00 - 16 minutes - 11.3 MB

Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus, foretold by John the Baptist, who called us to “make his paths straight.” This can serve as a metaphor for peace-building and peace-making, which is at the heart of our Advent preparations. We should strive to be agents of peace, in our relationships with others.  HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/Christmas Reflection Questions: 1. What “potholes” exist in your life that need to be filled by God?   2. How will you build bridg...

What God Wants for Christmas, Part 1 // The Rev. Sally Campbell-Evans // December 3, 2023

December 04, 2023 12:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MB

Advent is a time of watching and waiting in expectation of the inbreaking of God’s power and love to be among us. We should not lose hope, and we should remain attentive and ready to respond. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/Chirstmas Reflection Questions  - What are you waiting for, longing for, hoping for – deep in your heart – this Advent? - Where do you see signs of ‘hope’ in the world? And how does that encourage you to share ‘hope’ with others? - What Advent practices do y...

Christ the King Sunday // The Rev. Justin LaRosa // November 26, 2023

November 23, 2023 18:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MB

Calling Jesus Lord is not just a statement we make; it is a life we choose to live. He is the pre-eminent expression of God’s full character and behavior. In him, we discover our truest purpose and meaning in life, and to him, we are called to be obedient and faithful.

Love For All, Part 4 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // November 19, 2023

November 20, 2023 12:00 - 17 minutes - 12.1 MB

The parable of the mustard seed is one of Jesus’ most famous and familiar parables. It reminds us that small acts of generosity, no matter how insignificant it seems, can be used by God to multiply into wider impact for a wide host of people.  HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/LoveForAll HydeParkUMC.org/EOG Reflection Questions: What new insights have you learned from the parable of the mustard seed? What does the garden in the parable symbolize for you? How have you experienced ...

Love For All, Part 3 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // November 12, 2023

November 13, 2023 12:00 - 19 minutes - 13.6 MB

Our faithful generosity is a response to the generosity of God, who calls us to be responsible caretakers of all our resources. By saving, spending, and giving faithfully, we can create a storehouse of treasure that will be a solid foundation for the future of God’s kingdom, and help us “take hold of that which is truly life.”  HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/LoveForAll Reflection Questions: - What are your earliest memories related to money?   - When in your life have you felt t...

Love For All, Part 2 // The Rev. Sally Campbell-Evans // November 5, 2023

November 06, 2023 12:00 - 19 minutes - 13.4 MB

We have been given an inheritance by God, which is the richness of grace and salvation, passed down through the generations. On this day when we celebrate the saints who have gone before us, we give thanks for their enduring example of faithfulness and generosity, and pledge to live out their legacy in our faithful giving.  HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/LoveForAll

Love For All, Part 1 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // October 29, 2023

October 30, 2023 11:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MB

Our generosity begins with the generosity of God, who calls us to be in a special relationship together, for the benefit of the world. This is the basis of the important biblical concept of covenant, seen most vividly in the call of Abraham. And just as Abraham gave a tenth of his belongings as a response to God’s covenant, we are called to be generous as a response to God’s goodness.  HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydePartkUMC.org/LoveForAll Reflection Questions: 1. How have you experienced ...

Missions Celebration Sunday // The Rev. Paul Chilcote // Ocotober 22, 2023

October 23, 2023 11:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MB

As we recognize and celebrate of missions partners this week, we are reminded of the Great Commission. As followers of Jesus, we are charged with bringing the scriptural truth to all the world. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. What comes to mind when you think of the word ‘missions’? 2. In what way is God calling you to be a light that shines for others? 3. What missions partnerships in our church will you learn more about and get involved in?

Good & Faithful, Part 6 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // October 15, 2023

October 16, 2023 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.7 MB

Jesus calls us to forgive, no questions asked, or excuses accepted. It is a requirement of all those who would choose to call themselves Christian. HydeParkUMC.org/GoodandFaithful HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. What do you think is the relationship between 1) God’s forgiveness of us, and 2) our forgiveness of others?   2. What for you is the most difficult aspect of forgiveness?   3. What steps will you take to move toward forgiveness between you and someone else?

Good & Faithful, Part 5 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // October 8, 2023

October 09, 2023 11:00 - 19 minutes - 13.6 MB

Love is the chief distinguishing feature of a follower of Jesus. It is one whom, in Wesley’s words, the “love of God has been shed abroad in their hearts.” The Great Commandment (attested in each of the synoptic gospels) is a vivid expression of this call to love. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/GoodandFaithful Reflection Questions: 1. How does the way you love a person change as your relationship changes over time?   2. In what way is time more a “pressure” than a “privilege” to...

Good & Faithful, Part 4 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // October 1, 2023

October 02, 2023 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MB

God calls us to seek the way of justice, which is a central norm of the Hebrew scriptures and an integral part of Jesus’ vision for the kingdom. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/GoodandFaithful Reflection Questions: 1. What is your understanding of justice? What new things did you discover about justice that are helpful? 2. How will you live a just life, in the way God intends you to live? 3. How will you help create a just community, helping others to be a full and equal part o...

Good & Faithful, Part 3 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // September 24, 2023

September 25, 2023 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MB

We are called by God to contribute to the flourishing of all human beings, because every person is of sacred worth. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/GoodandFaithful Reflection Questions:  1. How do you understand the sacredness of life to be an essential part of Christian character and ethics?     2. When have you ever felt “out of tune” with God’s image in you? When have you felt “in tune”?   3. How will you contribute to the flourishing of those around you?  

Good and Faithful, Part 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // September 17, 2023

September 18, 2023 11:00 - 17 minutes - 12.3 MB

We live in a world where adherence to agreed notions of truth is elusive. We are more prone to seeing deceit, delusion, and distraction rather than truth. Good and faithful Christians claim the truth of God, even if it is uncomfortable and inconvenient. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/GoodandFaithful Reflection Questions: 1. In what ways do you see a need for more truthfulness in our world today?   2. How do you think truthfulness and trustworthiness are related?   3. What will y...

Good and Faithful, Part 1 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // September 10, 2023

September 11, 2023 11:00 - 16 minutes - 11.5 MB

God has made us to be a spectacle “theatron” of the world, so we should model the kind of holy life to which we have been called. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps HydeParkUMC.org/GoodandFaithful Reflection Questions: 1. What do you think constitutes good character? 2. Which of the five qualities do you emulate best, and which do you have to work on? 3. What would it mean for you to be a “light of the world” this week?

The Jesus Challenge, Part 3 //The Rev. Dr. Gary Mason // August 27, 2023

September 04, 2023 11:00 - 24 minutes - 17.1 MB

Jesus calls us to love our enemies, those who are hardest to love, despite what they might have done to us. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. Who are the enemies in your life? 2. What does Jesus mean when he says, “pray for those who persecute you”? 3. How can you pray for your enemies this week?

The Jesus Challenge, Part 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // August 27, 2023

August 28, 2023 11:00 - 16 minutes - 11.5 MB

Jesus calls us to a selfless love, which regards the dignity and worth of others, regardless of our differences. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. Which character(s) in the Good Samaritan story do you most identify with?   2. When have you been helped by a person who is different from you in some way?   3. What next step will you take to love others across our differences?

Books

The Little Prince
2 Episodes