Hyde Park United Methodist

Latest Episodes:

Well Rounded: Part 4 // Pastor Magrey deVega // August 30, 2026 Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

One of the most famous Wesleyan formulations is his “Three Simple Rules,” which are easy to remember but challenging to apply in every aspect of life: Do No Harm, Do Good, and Stay in Love with God (or, more formally, observe all the ordinances and commands of God.) In many ways, this is an extension of the teachings of Jesus, both in the Great Commandment and Golden Rule, as well as the Rule of St. Benedict, which has been influential on generations of Christians throughout history.
Reflection Questions:
1. Whom might you be called to stop fearing by choosing not to harm?
2. How can you add value and make God’s love real today?
3. What spiritual rhythm helps you stay in love with God?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

You Have More Power Than You Think | Beyond the Sermon Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

In the final week of Well Rounded, Decker sits down with Pastor Magrey deVega to unpack John Wesley’s Three Simple Rules: do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God. Their conversation explores how daily practices can become part of who we are, why we have more agency than we sometimes realize, and how small choices can add value to the people and world around us. Along the way, they talk about habits, neuroplasticity, judgment, free will, and what it really means to become the kind of person we want to be.
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Can Faith Make Room for Questions? | Beyond the Sermon Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

This week Mat and Magrey talk about what happens when faith and science seem to collide—and why they don't have to. Drawing from Magrey’s own experience of having his fundamentalist understanding of faith challenged by science, they explore the danger of certainty, the value of curiosity, and how both faith and science can invite us into a deeper sense of wonder. They also talk about how social media can reward oversimplified answers, why thoughtful faith takes time and community, and how we can make room for questions without losing our faith.

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Well Rounded: Part 3 // Pastor Magrey deVega // August 23, 2026 Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

Given that reason is a part of our Wesleyan Quadrilateral, it should be no surprise to hear that Wesley believed that science and faith could be in productive dialogue with each other. He posited numerous ideas about science and was keenly interested in the writings of natural philosophers of his time. For us as United Methodists, we should remember that science is not incompatible with our faith, and we can learn and even embrace science as a valid encounter with truth.
Reflection Questions:
1. Where do you encounter God in the wonder of creation?
2. How can your faith shape the way you use science and technology?
3. What is one way you can practice greater stewardship of God’s creation?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Well Rounded: Part 2 // Pastor Justin LaRosa //August 16, 2026 Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

John Wesley wrote a book called Primitive Physick, or an Easy and Natural method of Curing Most Diseases. It included his cures for 40 different ailments. While parts of it are devoid of modern medical wisdom, it does reinforce ideas that we know to be true: the importance of a healthy diet, exercise, and maintenance of good daily rhythms.  
Reflection Questions:
1. Paul reframes the question from "How do I feel about my body?" to "How does God see my body?” Where in your life is the old question still running the show, and what would change today if you actually believed the new one?
2. Wesley didn't chase health because he worshiped the body. He chased it because a well-stewarded body freed him to love God and serve his neighbor. What's one way your care of your body is currently shaping your capacity to show up for other people?
3. What scar are you still hiding, and who might God be inviting to speak a truer word over it? Or who might you be called to speak that word to?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Faith in the Body We Have | Beyond the Sermon Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

This week Mat sits down with Justin LaRosa for a deeply personal conversation about faith, health, and our bodies. Justin had already planned this sermon on caring for the body when he was diagnosed with cancer, giving his words about health and vulnerability a meaning he could never have anticipated. They talk about what it means to care for our bodies, listen to what they’re telling us, and hold both our physical health and our faith with honesty and grace.
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Well Rounded: Week One // Pastor Sally Campbell-Evans // August 9, 2026 Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

In his sermon “On Family Religion,” Wesley said this about the education of children: “Instruct them early in the morning. Speak to them plainly. Observe the few ideas they have and graft what you say upon them. Teach them frequently. Persevere.” He likely learned these principles from the way his mother Susannah instructed him and his siblings, and it translated into a lifelong commitment to improving the educational systems throughout England. It is part of our legacy and ongoing work as United Methodists.
Questions for reflection:
1. Name someone who grafted some important aspects of faith onto your heart.
2. If education is "a lifelong spiritual practice," what is something new you are learning in recent days?
3. How is what you are learning shaping your character?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

What Will Our Kids Believe? | Beyond the Sermon Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

In week one of Well Rounded, Mat sits down with Sally Campbell-Evans to talk about what it means to keep growing in faith—and what that growth looks like when we're raising the next generation. Drawing from Proverbs and John Wesley’s understanding of discipleship, they explore how following God engages both our heads and our hearts, why we never truly graduate from learning, and how raising faithful kids can become part of our own journey of faith. Because teaching children what we believe also invites us to keep asking questions, growing, and living out that faith ourselves.
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Your Struggle Has Purpose | Beyond the Sermon Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

This week Mat and Magrey wrap up the Holy Struggle series by exploring Jacob's famous wrestling match and the life-changing name he receives afterward. Together they discuss why struggle is a normal part of faith, how our deepest growth often begins beneath the surface, and what it means to wrestle with questions of identity, purpose, and God. They also reflect on the surprising role of the subconscious, why moments of silence can bring clarity, and how our greatest struggles can become part of the story that shapes who we become.

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Holy Struggle: Part 4 // Pastor Magrey deVega // August 2, 2026 Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

Hosea 12:1-4 gives us insight into this famous story of Jacob wrestling with God. Jacob not only fought with the angel; he also wept as he entreated God. This gives us permission to feel our emotions, even amid the toughest, most existential struggles we have with our faith. But we should always maintain a readiness to “return to God, with loyalty, justice, and hope.” For all his trickster manipulations, Jacob models for us a tenacity that enables us to wrestle with our faith and maintain our faithfulness to God.  
Reflection Questions:
1. What inner struggle might God be using to reshape your identity?
2. When have your deepest questions become opportunities for spiritual growth?
3. What false version of yourself is God inviting you to release?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

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