Hyde Park United Methodist

Latest Episodes:

A Time For Wisdom: Proverbs, Part 2 // Mat Hotho // October 4, 2026 Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

In the end, Proverbs provides a full collection of maxims, many of which can be directly applied to our lives. The result is wisdom that is both understood and embodied, so that we become living lessons that others can learn from.
Reflection questions:
1. What's a short saying you live by right now? What happened that made you need it?
2. Proverbs 22:6 says a child raised the right way won't depart from it. Where did you depart from how you were raised? What did you carry with you anyway?
3. Jesus answered "Who is my neighbor?" with a story, not a list. Where are you tempted to sort people into black-and-white boxes? What would staying soft look like there this week?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

The Wisdom of Showing Up | Beyond the Sermon Oct 04, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Beyond the Sermon, Mat Hotho is joined by his wife, Reverend Emily Hotho, to explore Proverbs 31 and what it means to live with wisdom in our everyday lives. Together, they unpack the idea of a “woman of valor,” challenge the pressure to live up to impossible expectations, and reflect on how faithfulness in the small things can make a meaningful difference. They also share the story behind Emily’s well-worn Bible and what it means to let scripture encounter the world.
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

A Time For Wisdom: Proverbs, Part 1 // Pastor Magrey deVega // September 27, 2026 Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

The book of Proverbs is filled with easily portable and memorable ideas. At first glance, they might seem too trite to be helpful, much like we take fortune cookies with a grain of salt. But collectively, they point to how the ancient Israelites saw the world, and how we can be faithful in asking hard questions about life. Is there really a cause-and-effect relationship between our actions and the blessings and curses that happen? Where can we find wisdom that is reliable, and truth that lasts?

Reflection Questions:
1. Where might humility and curiosity open you to wisdom you need today?
2. Who are the wise people in your life whose guidance you need to hear?
3. Where is God inviting you to move, wait, or trust?

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Putting Proverbs to the Test | Beyond the Sermon Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Beyond the Sermon, Mat and Pastor Magrey deVega put the Book of Proverbs to the test with a little “Proverbs Roulette.” They randomly select passages and try to make sense of what these ancient sayings can teach us about honesty, relationships, suffering, our words, and everyday life. Along the way, they unpack some unexpected proverbs, surprising interpretations, and a few moments where the wisdom isn’t quite as straightforward as it seems.

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Who is God when suffering happens? | Beyond the Sermon Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Beyond the Sermon, Mat sits down with Pastor Magrey deVega to unpack the second half of Job and the questions it raises about suffering, God’s power, free will, and what it means to trust a bigger picture we can’t always see. They also explore why wisdom often comes with time and experience, and how the wisdom literature invites us to step back and see the human story from a wider perspective.
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

A Time For Wisdom: Job, Part 2 // Pastor Magrey deVega // September 20, 2026 Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

Job suffers and serves as a spokesperson for all humanity. He interrogates God, an act which itself can be a hopeful reminder that God encourages and allows that kind of intimate relationship. The result, in a way, is that Job puts God on “trial,” asking God for justification for all the harshness of life. And then in chapter 28, there is a “verdict” of sorts: the only source for wisdom to help navigate such difficult questions is the “fear of the Lord.” We may not receive all the answers we are seeking, but the solution remains clear: Continue to lean on God and trust, even despite the evidence.  
Reflection Questions:
1. What suffering has expanded your capacity for faith, love, or trust?
2. Where are you being invited to surrender control and trust God’s larger picture?
3. How might you lean into God amid today’s uncertainty?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

A Time For Wisdom: Part 1, JOB // Pastor Magrey deVega // September 13, 2026 Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

The sufferings of Job are legendary, but the hardest part of his story to comprehend is the source and conditions of that suffering. Does God really conduct such bargaining with suffering? That kind of level playing field between good and evil is certainly problematic, but it gives us insight into the way our ancient spiritual ancestors viewed the world at the time. How do we wrestle with questions of theodicy today? Why do good people suffer? What is the relationship between God and suffering? And what is our responsibility?  
Reflection Questions:
1. What disruption has challenged the theological container you inherited?
2. Where might God be inviting your faith to grow through difficult questions?
3. What would it mean to hold onto faith without holding onto easy answers?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

When the Box Doesn't Fit Anymore | Beyond the Sermon Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

This week Mat and Magrey kick off A Time For Wisdom by diving into the book of Job and what happens when the answers we've relied on no longer make sense. They talk about faith, doubt, unfairness, and the possibility that questioning what we believe can actually make room for something deeper and more expansive. Along the way, they explore why these ancient wisdom texts still speak so directly to the human experience today.

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Well Rounded: Part 5 // Pastor Magrey deVega // September 6, 2026 Sep 07, 2026

Show notes

Structured similarly to the Three Simple Rules, Wesley had three simple rules regarding money: “Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. It echoes his famous maxim, “Do all the good “Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” Wesley saw money for its potential to do good and entreated Methodists to treat it as such. He saw far too often its dangers, often through the example of his own father, when the power of money went unheeded and used for selfish gain.  
Reflection Questions:
1. How might your work become an act of prayer?
2. What would it mean to earn and save with generosity in mind?
3. What are you being called to give more freely?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Giving is More Than Money | Beyond the Sermon Sep 07, 2026

Show notes

This week Mat and Magrey wrap up Well Rounded by talking about money, work, rest, and what it really means to give. From John Wesley’s approach to stewardship to Paul’s call to generosity, they explore why giving isn’t about getting something back — it’s about recognizing what we’ve been given and choosing how we use it. Because generosity isn’t just about money. It’s about the way we give our time, our work, our gifts, and ourselves to God and to others.
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

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