Hyde Park United Methodist

The incarnation is the ultimate act of drawing near, as God bridged the gulf between God and humanity by becoming like us. We celebrate the birth of Christ by making room for him in our hearts, as we share the message and love of Christ with a world in need.  

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

This week on Beyond the Sermon, Magrey deVega and Mat Hotho reflect on Mary’s role in the Christmas story by placing it within the much longer arc of Israel’s history—from tabernacle and temple to incarnation and church. They explore how Luke connects past, present, and future to show a God who is both mobile and faithful, present in the wilderness and rooted in real history. As Christmas Eve approaches, the conversation invites us to notice where God is already near, and how we might carry that presence into the lives of others.

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Mary and Elizabeth were the original collaborators, co-laboring to provide the world with the hope and promise that it needed. In drawing near to each other, they discovered mutual support and joy, and the strength to encourage each other throughout their journeys. In a season where our relationships with those closest to us might be most tested and strained, we are called to practice vulnerability, mutuality, and shared love.  

Reflection Questions:
1. What would it mean for you to be a “Tabernacle” for God? 
2. What would it mean for you to be a “Doula” for God?
3. How will you prepare for the fresh arrival of Jesus in and through your life?

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

The first-century Roman Empire faced the same kinds of injustices that we face today: growing inequality between the rich and the poor, abusive oppression by those in power, and a disregard for decency and civility. John the Baptist’s message is not just spiritual in nature; it has real-life, real-world implications for today.   

Questions:

1. What jumped out at you from the text?
2. John says to bear fruit worthy of repentance. How do you understand repentance?
3. What obstacles do you see in your life? Community’s and world’s? Name some ways you have repented in your life that have resulted in fruit.
4. How does John’s understanding of repentance draw you and our church near to justice?

Find out more and connect with us at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

This week on Beyond the Sermon, Justin LaRosa and Mat Hotho revisit John the Baptist’s call to repentance as a turning toward something better, exploring it as a shared, lived practice that reaches beyond individual behavior and into the systems, relationships, and habits that shape our common life. Their conversation reflects on how repentance takes form through generosity, integrity, and respect for all people, and how proximity, presence, and community can change both us and the world around us. Drawing from the work of The Portico and the witness of the wider church, this episode considers what it looks like to prepare the way for God’s kingdom in real, tangible ways.

Find out more and connect with us at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Discover how The Portico is building community and how you can be part of it at ThePortico.org

No journey to Christmas would be complete without John the Baptist, the iconic figurehead of Advent preparation. His message is one that people then and now are reluctant to hear: Repent, seek justice, and live righteously. His is a timeless truth that is as relevant as ever.  

Reflection Questions:

1. How often do you watch the sunrise? What feelings does it elicit for you? 

2. What are you most longing for right now? 

3. What difference does it make to see time less linearly, and more cyclically?

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

This week on Beyond the Sermon, Mat and Magrey dive into Luke 1 with a surprisingly “Wicked” twist (some of us just can’t help ourselves). What starts as a chat about Zechariah’s song turns into a reflection on stability, spiritual practice, and why Luke’s Gospel sometimes feels like a Broadway musical. Along the way they explore Benedictine rhythms, the gift of repetition, and how ancient songs still shape our hope today.

The Canticle of the Turning: 
https://youtu.be/F9QeTmRCpW4?si=mHFOinxdFICTDvri


Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

The first Sunday of Advent often catches us by surprise, still plumped from Thanksgiving leftovers and not yet fully in the swing of Christmas preparations. But Luke’s gospel greets us with a jarring reminder that something bold and wondrous is on the horizon. It is the inbreaking of God’s presence and love, revealed in Jesus. All we have to do is open our eyes to the wonder of God in our midst.  

Reflection Questions:
1. When you get overwhelmed by the world’s problems, what helps you notice signs of new life in front of you?
2. What signs of wonder are you seeing in the world today?
3. Moments of wonder are often interpreted as "God is with me" moments, revealing a sense of divine presence in everyday life.  When was the last time you had one of those moments? What was it like?

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

This week on Beyond the Sermon, Sally Campbell-Evans and Matt Hotho open Advent with an unexpected text—Jesus’ apocalyptic warnings in Luke 21. Instead of forecasting the end of the world, they explore how these passages uncover God’s presence right in the middle of fear, uncertainty, and ordinary life. Together they reflect on why Advent begins with a jolt, how to notice the quiet signs of hope already growing around us, and what it means to “draw near” to God and one another when everything feels unsteady.

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

The draw near theme encompasses 1) an affirmation that God has drawn near to us by taking on flesh and experiencing what it is to be human, 2) a plea for God to draw closer to us and to the spaces in the world that are broken, and 3) a charge for us to draw near to God by leaning into wonder, justice, truth, and one another. 

Reflection Questions:

1. What does it mean for you to call Jesus Lord and King?

2. How will you savor each present moment in the coming days? 

3. How will you prepare yourself spiritually for the coming Advent season? 

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps