Hyde Park United Methodist

Why Can’t I Hear God? | Beyond the Sermon

In this final episode of Beyond the Sermon for the "Say Less" series, Justin LaRosa and Mat Hotho reflect on what it really looks like to listen for God’s will. The conversation explores centering prayer, silence, counseling, spiritual direction, and the courage it takes to say no to good things in order to say yes to what truly aligns with how God has wired you. Along the way, they wrestle with anxiety, alignment, repentance, and the slow work of recognizing God’s voice in the rearview mirror of life. Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Say Less: Part 4 // Pastor Justin LaRosa // February 15, 2026

Revelation may seem like an odd choice to include in a series on listening, but the oracle is founded on a witness from John to Christians who needed to listen better. Beginning with the indictments to the seven churches, the book is filled with words of comfort and courage to people under distress. When we learn to “silence all voices but God’s voice,” (Henri Nouwen) we can learn to hear God’s will for us to move forward with conviction.    Reflection Questions: 1. Where in your life right now do you most need discernment — and what makes that situation hard to navigate? 2. When you’re making decisions, what practices actually help you listen for God, and what has that looked like in real life? 3. Jesus warned about being “lukewarm.” Where do you notice spiritual complacency in yourself or our culture — and what might wholehearted faith (zeal and repentance) look like instead?

Listening That Changes Your Life | Beyond the Sermon

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

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

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

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

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