Can A Nation Change? | Beyond the Sermon

Faith250: Part 3 // Pastor Magrey deVega // June 28, 2026

This iconic song is a hymn of celebration of the beauty and grandeur of our country, and echoes the majesty of the psalmist, who attributes the beauty of nature to the artistry and provision of God. Indeed, the splendor of this country is all around us, and it is not just meant to be savored and enjoyed, but also to be preserved and protected, as stewards of the environment and God’s creation.    Reflection Questions: 1. Where have you recently encountered God’s beauty in creation? 2. How can you practice greater stewardship of God’s gifts today? 3. What flaw in yourself or society needs God’s refining grace? Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Can A Nation Change? | Beyond the Sermon

This week Mat and Magrey discuss why growth often begins in life's most difficult moments. Drawing on themes from America the Beautiful, they explore how faith, conversation, and community can change us over time—and how those same values can help shape the future of our nation as we approach America's 250th anniversary. Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

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