This week, Mat and Magrey explore the Christian Liturgical Calendar more deeply, reflecting on what uncertain times mean to them and how they can find comfort in them. -- Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps --Par Hyde Park United Methodist

Challenged to prove ourselves, we find our identity in Christ, our King. Reflection Questions: 1. What do you think it means to call Jesus king? 2. Do you think empathy is in short supply today? Who models it best for you? 3. How will you emulate Jesus in your everyday life? -- Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps --…

This week, Mat and Magrey reflect on what the crumbling temple might look like in your life, and how to find hope and guidance in those times of uncertainty. -- Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps --Par Hyde Park United Methodist

Christ never promises an easy walk, but one of sacrifice. Reflection Questions: 1.) When in your life did all you thought was true and reliable seem “thrown down”? 2.) When have you seen evidence of God not giving up during your hard times? 3.) How will you release your energy as an act of defiant hope in the world? -- Find out more at HydeParkUMC.…

Join Mat and Justin as they dive deeper into the message of Thessalonians, exploring how to find hope when it feels like the end is near. Justin shares a personal story of facing hopelessness, and together they reflect on what it means to persevere with faith. -- Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps --…

It may feel like the end is near, but we have to keep going. Reflection Questions: 1. How have you attempted to stay grounded in your faith with unsettling news or alarming situation in today’s world? 2. How do you think modern-day predictions or claims about end times events impact people’s faith, both positively and negatively? 3. How can you sta…

God is at work in the dark places, even when we cannot see it. Reflection Questions 1. When you are struggling who helps you (or what helps you) get back up and try again? 2. What is one thing you could do today to encourage someone (a friend, family member, stranger) who is struggling with their faith in God? 3. Who are some of the saints that hav…

The culmination of remembering our membership vows is an act of recommitment, which would include the submission of our estimates of giving cards. Reflection Questions: In what way do you experience this congregation as a “household”? How are you uniquely called and gifted to build up the work of this church? How will you recommit your efforts of p…

The kingdom of God is built one life at a time, one relationship at a time, one moment of personal invitation at a time. Reflection Questions: What experience have you had with evangelism that is coercive or argumentative? What natural ways will you be a witness for Jesus? Which of the five ways to be a witness come easiest for you? Hardest? Find o…

What does it mean to serve others? For many of us, growing in our ability to serve means learning how to be uncomfortable in situations that stretch our boundaries. It means learning new names, extending ourselves, and focusing on the needs of others instead of our own. Learning to serve can be a process. Thankfully we have many examples of process…

Giving of our time, talent, and treasure is a central aspect of discipleship, and, for some, is the most difficult one to surrender. Reflection Questions: 1. When have you had a good experience baking bread, or enjoying bread someone else made? 2. What difference does it make to see yourself as part of the global church of Jesus Christ? 3. How will…

Since the early church, Christians have been called to gather (ekklesia, which is translated as both “church” and “gathering.”) When we are present to each other, in worship, small groups, and service, we can experience the presence of God in a powerful way, along with the mutual support and accountability that comes with being together.…

A natural and important follow-up to our 125th Anniversary Celebration is a season of recommitment to grow deeper as disciples, wider in our reach to others, and united in mission to love God and love all. This five-part series reviews the five-fold membership vow that each member took to become a part of this church. Prayer is the lifeblood of the…

Stories from our heritage not only tell us about our past. They remind us of who we are. Such is the story of our church’s beginning, back in 1899, when a small group chose to sing “I Love to Tell the Story” at the site of what would become our church. Their courage and witness, coupled with their choice of song, tells us something about who we are…

This week Mat sits down with former senior pastor of Hyde Park, Jim Harnish, with the topic of discovering and recognizing continuing threads of your life in the both spiritual and historical sense. HydeParkUMC.org/nextstepsPar Hyde Park United Methodist

The writer of Hebrews scans over the long history of men and women who lived by faith, some of it in gory detail! But then the text looks directly at us to say that God’s story will not be perfect (complete, whole) without us. We have the beautiful stories of how God has been at work through the people of this congregation over the past 125 years, …

As Hyde Park begins its celebration of 125 years, Magrey and Mat sit down to discuss what it means to have a spiritual legacy. HydeParkUMC.org/nextstepsPar Hyde Park United Methodist

In 1899, a group of 30 people from First Methodist in Tampa crossed the Hillsborough River to begin meeting in a two-room schoolhouse at the corner of Platt and Magnolia. 125 years later, we are living into a legacy that has proclaimed the good news of Jesus and built the kingdom of God for generation. This three-part worship series celebrates the …

This week Magrey sits down with Gary Mason to talk about the current situation with Israel-Palestine and how to find common ground in the mist of intense disagreement and conflict. HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsPar Hyde Park United Methodist

Sharing the gospel with unbelievers is essential. Paul's example in Acts 17 shows how we can bridge the gap by using familiar language and imagery to reveal God's love in Christ. HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps Reflection Questions: 1. How have you struggled with questions of meaning and purpose in your life? 2. How do your struggles help you connect wit…

Sally and Mat sit down this week to discuss how inter-faith relationships can work and how to build those bridges. HydeParkUMC.org/nextstepsPar Hyde Park United Methodist

One of the most common questions we ask of our faith is, “What is Christianity’s relationship with other religions?” What are we to do with the passage from John 14, in which Jesus declares that he is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father but through him? In an age of religious pluralism and religious intolerance (ev…

This week, we have started a new sermon series discussing our Christian heritage and how we can relate to people of other faiths. Magrey and Mat sit down to talk about their own personal experiences in exploring and being raised in environments of differing faiths. HydePaKUMC.org/NextStepsPar Hyde Park United Methodist

John Wesley’s famous sermon “Catholic Spirit” provides guidance on how Christians of different perspectives and traditions can find common ground, just as Jehu and Jehonadab joined hands in the passage in 2 Kings. Despite some significant differences among Protestant denominations, we hold much more in common, and we are called to forge a dynamic a…

This week, Sally and Magrey talk about the impact that was the witness of Mary Bethune in education and how all of us can be inspired from it. HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsPar Hyde Park United Methodist

Mary McLeod Bethune was an educator, philanthropist, and civil rights activist, whose work was deeply rooted in her Christian convictions. Bethune-Cookman University stands as an enduring reminder of her legacy, as this states only United Methodist historically black college. Her famous quote “Without faith, nothing is possible; with faith, nothing…

This week, Mat and Sally sit down the discuss the witness of Oscar Romero from El Salvador in the 1970s. And how Sally's own experience in El Salvador influenced her call to ministry.Par Hyde Park United Methodist

Archbishop Oscar Romero was a powerful voice for freedom and liberation for the people of El Salvador, and his untimely death by an assassin’s bullet leaves behind a stirring witness to the power of non-violence in addressing systemic inequities and injustice. His work was a living embodiment of the words of Luke 4, in which Jesus spoke of setting …

Mat and Magrey have a discussion about how songs shape us, how they shaped the Bible, and how they continue to bring the biblical text alive today.Par Hyde Park United Methodist

Mahalia Jackson was one of the greatest musical artists of her generation, not just for her beautiful music, but also for her inspirational witness. Her most iconic moments were in her singing of “His Eye is On the Sparrow,” based on the teaching of Jesus in Matthew, which inspired comfort and encouragement during the civil rights movement. Her enc…

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

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 stren…

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" Mot…

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 captur…

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.Par Hyde Park United Methodist

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/NextS…

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, t…

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 …

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 pres…

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 grea…

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/Nex…

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/NextStepsPar Hyde Park United Methodist

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. Disciples…

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 tim…

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 f…

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 ne…

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…

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,…

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.…

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 reason…