Why the Best Days Aren't Behind Us | Beyond the Sermon

Why the Best Days Aren't Behind Us | Beyond the Sermon

This week Mat and Magrey wrestle with some of the hardest questions in our shared story. They talk about Frederick Douglass' challenge to the church, what it means to acknowledge privilege and hear experiences different from our own, and why both faith and our nation are always works in progress. Together they explore a hopeful idea at the heart of the gospel: our calling isn't to go back to some perfect past, but to keep becoming more perfect in love and move toward the future God is inviting us to create. Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Faith250: Part 2 // Pastor Magrey deVega // June 21, 2026

This piece by Frederick Douglass, one of the great writers and orators in our history, reminds us that the work of addressing slavery and racism must be a shared and ongoing project. There cannot be a moment when we feel like we have conquered our “original sin,” for as is the case in our Wesleyan understanding of sin, it is an ongoing task, requiring daily commitment. To be a faithful disciple and a responsible citizen, from a Wesleyan perspective, we should be co-laborers with God, who empowers us to be perfected in love, especially in the work of anti-racism.    Reflection Questions: 1. What “lenses” help you see history, faith, and others more clearly? 2. Where might God be calling you to help build bridges today? 3. How can you grow more perfect in love toward those different from you? Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Faith250: Part 1// Pastor Magrey deVega // June 14, 2026

This poem by Emma Lazarus is one of the most important in our history, not only for its appearance on the Statue of Liberty, but also for the value that it conveys in welcoming the immigrant. For as is often said, other than indigenous people in this land, we are all descendants of immigrants, or even immigrants ourselves. That recognition is also a recurring theme throughout the Bible, for the Israelites as well as the early Christians. Caring for the immigrant is a pathway for both faithful discipleship and responsible citizenship.    Reflection Questions: 1. How does your faith shape the way you view immigrants and refugees? 2. What does it mean to treat every person as native-born and beloved? 3. Where is God calling you to practice hospitality, dignity, and welcome? Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

When Faith Shapes a Nation | Beyond the Sermon

This week Mat and Magrey kick off our new series, Faith250: Our Nation’s Founding Documents, by exploring the relationship between faith, freedom, and the values that shape us as a community. They reflect on what it means to pursue a more perfect union, how our beliefs influence the way we treat one another, and why meaningful conversations across our differences still matter today. Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Something Worth Sharing: Part 3 // Pastor Sally Campbell-Evans // June 7, 2026

This classic passage from Acts depicts the early church acting in outward generosity, to meet the needs of people in their community. This is the church at its healthiest and best, and it is part of our DNA. When we function in this way, not only is our church strong; so is our witness, and so, therefore, is the community that we serve. As Miroslav Wolf surmised in his book Flourishing, even though organized religion at its worst may be the cause of some of our world’s greatest problems, the solution to our world’s greatest problems can be organized religion at its healthiest and best. That is the future we get to step into together.    Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps