Hyde Park United Methodist

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The Art of Hearing God's Voice, Part 4 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // October 2, 2022 Oct 03, 2022

Show notes

One of the hardest parts about hearing God’s voice is when we have to confront so much hurt and brokenness in the world. We wonder what God is doing and saying in the face of such suffering around us. The scripture reading for this Sunday is more commonly heard on Ascension Sunday, but its principles apply all year long. God is calling us to be the very hands, feet, and voice of Jesus in a world that is longing to see, hear, and experience God’s presence, activity, and voice. Jesus promised his disciples, and promises us, that the Holy Spirit is with us, empowering us to the task. On this World Communion Sunday, and in the weeks leading up to Missions Celebration Sunday on October 23, we affirm and acknowledge the part we play in making God’s love real around the world. We also remember that the communion liturgy asks God to “make [the elements] the body and blood of Christ, that we might be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.”

The Art of Hearing God's Voice, Part 3 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // September 25, 2022 Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

The author of Proverbs describes the life of faith as acknowledging God, so that God can direct our path (steps). That means trusting that God will reveal the journey ahead of us, one step at a time, so that our main job is to take a step of faith when God is calling us to do so. This does not mean, however, that we simply sit back and let God do the revealing. We have to be intentional about listening, surrendering, and watching for the Spirit, so we can “sing when the Spirit says sing,” in the words of the old spiritual. That is what Proverbs describes as “leaning not unto our own understanding.”

The Art of Hearing God's Voice, Part 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // September 18, 2022 Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

It goes without saying, but the first step in hearing God’s voice is having the desire to hear God’s voice. That should go without saying, but there is good news in that reminder. Just like Thomas Merton’s classic prayer says, the desire to please God does itself please God, even amid times of bewilderment. Hearing God’s voice is rooted in prayer, balanced among three dimensions, which can be remembered through the acronym S.O.S.

The Art of Hearing God's Voice, Part 1 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // September 11, 2022 Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

We are hungry for a sense of purpose, direction, and calling in our lives. That’s as basic an ingredient to the human experience as they come. We want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We want to participate in something that has eternal merit and lasting impact. We do not want to live a shallow, hollow existence. We yearn for deeper meaning, for deeper purpose within our lives. We want to be more than we are.

The Meaning of Methodist, Part 5 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // September 4, 2022 Sep 05, 2022

Show notes

We conclude our worship series “The Meaning of Methodist” this Sunday with one of the chief hallmarks of Methodism. John Wesley observed the concept of the “via media” in developing his practical theology. He would often take the best of two ideological opposites to form a “way in the middle,” a vital third way that enabled people to hold the center together. We’ll explore why that is such a timely and necessary position today and discover how to apply that in our lives.

The Meaning of Methodist, Part 4 // The Rev. Dr. Gary Mason // August 28, 2022 Aug 29, 2022

Show notes

Rev. Dr. Gary Mason of Rethinking Conflict in Belfast, Northern Ireland will be our guest preacher for the day. He can speak to the global nature of the church and the impact that the United Methodist can make in the work of peace with justice and the alleviation of suffering. Together, we live out the vision of John Wesley to make a difference in the physical, social, and systemic brokenness of the world. For in his words, “There is no holiness apart from social holiness.”

The Meaning of Methodist, Part 3 // The Rev. Clarke Campbell-Evans // August 21, 2022 Aug 22, 2022

Show notes

In the Exodus reading, Moses discovered that the task of leading the people and advancing the mission of God among the Israelites was too great for one person to handle. That’s why he created a connectional system of governance, administration, and support. Likewise, the idea of connectionalism is at the heart of being United Methodist. Each congregation is part of an interconnected whole of people and congregations around the world, joined by districts, conferences, jurisdictions, and central/regional conferences. We are ultimately connected by a General Conference. Likewise, no one person in the local church has all the power. We have staff and lay people serving on various committees that each share a vital part of leading the whole of the church. We all play a part in making ministry happen and advancing the mission of God.

The Meaning of Methodist, Part 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // August 14, 2022 Aug 15, 2022

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John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, believed that works of devotion, service, and love are necessary. Not to earn our salvation, but to mature our salvation. And just like a tree that does not bear fruit, or a bird that has no song, or a star that produces no light, salvation without works is pointless. Even though we don’t earn our salvation by our works, we can’t use our salvation without works. The phrase that Wesley coined here is that we must “work out our salvation.” We need to prove it, express it, and exercise it with our deeds. And this lies at the heart of what it means to be called “Methodist.”

The Meaning of Methodist, Part 1 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // August 7, 2022 Aug 08, 2022

Show notes

One of the hallmarks of United Methodism is the nuanced way that John Wesley both embraced human free will and God's grace. Both God's power and human will are necessary for salvation. Yes, we get to choose. But only because God's power makes our choice possible. Before we even knew there was a choice to make, eve as soon as we were born, God was hard at work drawing, luring us, convincing us to choose faith in Jesus.

Hyde Park At The Movies, Part 6 // The Rev. Justin LaRosa // July 31, 2022 Aug 01, 2022

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In Top Gun: Maverick, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell confronts his regrets about his past and the consequences of his action and inaction. It's not unlike the disciple Peter confronting his denial and betrayal of Jesus.

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