Hyde Park United Methodist

Latest Episodes:

Say Less: Part 3 // Bishop Will Willimon // February 8, 2026 Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

This Sunday, we are joined by Bishop Will Willimon as he reflects on Jesus’ first sermon in Luke 4 and what happens when God speaks a word we didn’t come to hear. Willimon explores why preaching is so difficult to listen to, not because sermons are long or abstract, but because the true preacher is Christ himself. Drawing on personal stories from the pulpit and moments when sermons provoke discomfort rather than comfort, this message invites us to listen bravely, expecting to encounter the risen Jesus who still speaks truthfully, sometimes painfully, and always out of love.
Reflection Questions:
1. In what ways do you listen to sermons seeking comfort, and how open are you to Jesus challenging and changing you, even when it feels uncomfortable?
2. Where do you resist the idea that God might be at work among people or places you least expect or prefer?
3. When have you realized that Jesus spoke to you through a sermon in a way the preacher never intended? How did it change you?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Listening That Changes Your Life | Beyond the Sermon Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Beyond the Sermon, Mat Hotho sits down with Bishop Will Willimon to unpack what it really means to listen to a sermon. Their conversation explores the difference between reading Scripture and preaching it, why sermons are meant to address us personally, and how the preached word moves faith from information to enlistment. Bishop Willimon reflects on decades of preaching, the discomfort and resistance Jesus often provokes, and why following Christ was never meant to be easy, safe, or merely “interesting.” Along the way, they wrestle with discipleship, courage, and what it means to belong to a kingdom larger than any nation or political project.
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Why Empathy Is (Suddenly) Controversial | Beyond the Sermon Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

n Week 2 of Say Less, Matt Hotho and Pastor Magrey deVega dig deeper into Romans 12 and the tension between what we believe and how we live. Their conversation moves from Paul’s shift from belief to practice into the communal roots of faith, drawing connections to Leviticus, the prophets, and the idea of offering our lives as a “living sacrifice.” Along the way, they wrestle with why empathy has become such a loaded word, how compassion gets politicized, and why practicing empathy doesn’t mean agreement—especially in a polarized world where listening feels harder than ever.
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Say Less: Part 2 // Pastor Magrey deVega // February 2, 2026 Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

Empathy seems to be a lost art these days. It has even been villainized by certain segments of our political discourse. Empathy is not a weakness; it is a demonstration of strength, of security in oneself, and a reflection of the character of God, who empathized with humanity to such a degree that God became human just like us. It is a central idea in this passage of Paul’s letter to the Romans, and it is central to us as Christians.  
Reflection Questions:
1. In what ways are you tempted to stop at believing the right things about Jesus rather than doing the hard things he asks of you?
2. What people are you struggling to empathize with? What “single story” might you need to change with deeper listening?
3. How can you practice empathy by honoring another person’s humanity while still maintaining healthy emotional boundaries?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

The Cost of Not Listening | Beyond the Sermon Jan 26, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Beyond the Sermon, Magrey deVega sits down with guest preacher Gary Mason to continue the conversation on listening in a divided world. Drawing from Gary’s experience in Northern Ireland and his work with Rethinking Conflict, they reflect on how polarization, labeling, and dehumanization take root—and why listening is essential to preserving life and peace. Together, they explore the connection between listening to God and listening to one another, the power of storytelling, and why “engagement is not endorsement” when navigating deep disagreement.
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org

Say Less: Part 1 // Gary Mason // January 25, 2026 Jan 26, 2026

Show notes

One of the hardest times to practice good listening is with people who have opposing viewpoints. Indeed, the polarization in our society seems to be getting worse, not better, over time. Yet Paul is clear with the Christians in Ephesus: Unwholesome speech, bitterness, and anger have no place in civil conversation. Instead, we need a mutual willingness to listen to each other.  
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

What MLK Knew About Power | Beyond the Sermon Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

In this Beyond the Sermon conversation, Magrey deVega and Matt Hoto dig into the ideas behind the “drum major instinct” and why the pull toward attention, affirmation, and influence shows up so naturally in our lives. They walk through how Jesus reframes greatness in the Gospels, why the same story appears differently in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and how context and perspective shape the way faith communities grow up and mature. Along the way, they reflect on preaching legacies like J. Wallace Hamilton and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., especially how MLK’s call to humility, justice, and nonviolence still challenges how we lead, speak, and engage the world today.
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Grounded: Part 3 //Pastor Magrey deVega // January 18, 2026 Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously diagnosed the problem with pride as having a “drum major instinct,” adapting a phrase from the Methodist preacher J. Wallace Hamilton. Indeed, much of the hostility and tension in the world can be addressed if we dig our societal roots deeper into service and humility, just as Jesus taught his disciples in this text from Matthew.

Reflection Questions:
1. To what degree do you exhibit a “Drum Major Instinct?”
2. How can ambition be a healthy thing to have? When does it become unhealthy?
3. How can serving help you see the divine image in others?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

What Happens When You’re Baptized? | Beyond the Sermon Jan 12, 2026

Show notes

This week on Beyond the Sermon, Matt and Magrey reflect on Baptism of the Lord Sunday by sharing personal baptism stories and exploring why baptism is more than a single moment in time. They talk about baptism as an intergenerational promise, the role of community and instruction in the Christian tradition, and how remembering our baptism invites imagination, play, and renewal—not just formality. Along the way, they unpack the United Methodist understanding of grace, why God is the primary actor in baptism, and how dying and rising with Christ continues to shape faith across a lifetime.
Reach out to Mat with any questions about YOUR baptism journey at MHotho@hydeparkumc.org
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Grounded: Rooted in Baptism // Pastor Magrey deVega // January 11, 2026 Jan 12, 2026

Show notes

Baptism reminds us of who we are in Christ, and the calling Christ gives us to live a holy life. It is a notion underscored by 1 Peter, which tells us that the waters of baptism do not as much cleanse us physically, but spiritually, empowering us to live with a good conscience.  
Reflection Questions:
1. What is your favorite memory of a baptism?
2. How will remembering your baptism strengthen you during hard days?
3. How will you “behave until you believe, so that you can behave because you believe”?
Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

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