Hilldale UMC's Podcast

What does renewal really look like when a community is rebuilding—after loss, disruption, or discouragement? In this sermon, we turn to one of the most overlooked chapters in Scripture: Nehemiah 3. At first glance, it reads like a list of names and tasks. But beneath the surface, it tells a powerful story about how God's work unfolds—not through heroes or grand gestures, but through ordinary people showing up, taking responsibility, and tending the part of the work placed right in front of them. Drawing from a childhood memory of a church wall that collapsed during a storm, reflections on the quiet faith of Howard Thurman, and the witness of the builders of Jerusalem's wall, this sermon invites us to reconsider what faithfulness looks like in the life of the church. Renewal does not begin when everything is fixed. It begins when people are willing. This message is an invitation to notice where God is calling you to be present—to relationships, ministries, and small acts of faithfulness that often go unseen but hold the community together. Everyone has a brick in the story. The question is whether we are willing to pick up the one entrusted to us.

What does it mean to truly serve a community in crisis? In this powerful message, Rev. Mary Kate Myers takes us through the Book of Nehemiah to discover a masterclass in faithful, humble, and patient leadership. When Nehemiah learned that Jerusalem lay in ruins—its walls broken and its people vulnerable—he didn't rush in with quick fixes or grand heroics. Instead, he spent three months in prayer and fasting, seeking God's guidance. Upon arriving, he quietly surveyed the devastation, listened to those who had been living in the wreckage, and only then rallied the community to rebuild together. Drawing from her own experience with Mountaintop ministry in Grundy County, Pastor Mary Kate challenges us to examine how we approach service. Are we working for people, assuming we know their needs? Or are we working with them, taking time to listen, learn, and partner in God's work of redemption? This sermon is a timely reminder that kingdom work isn't about being heroes or creating quick fixes—it's about faithful presence, patient discernment, and trusting that God is already at work in our communities. Key Takeaway: "God is already at work in our community. We must step out of our need to be heroes and into the humble work of walking alongside those God calls us to serve." Perfect for church leaders, ministry volunteers, and anyone seeking to make a meaningful difference in their community.

We live in a world carefully designed for comfort—but what happens when comfort begins to dull our attentiveness to suffering, injustice, and need? In this sermon on Nehemiah 1, we explore the sacred tension between comfort and calling, privilege and compassion, safety and solidarity. "A Holy Discontent" invites us to consider the kind of discomfort that does not come from guilt or anxiety, but from love—a quiet, persistent awareness that something is not as it should be. Through the story of Nehemiah, an exile living with privilege inside an empire, we see how God's work of renewal often begins not with plans or strategies, but with a heart willing to be moved. Nehemiah allows the pain of others to interrupt his comfort. He weeps, prays, and listens long enough for grief to become discernment. His story challenges us to ask hard questions: What have we learned to scroll past? Whose pain have we managed rather than carried? Where might God be stirring a holy discontent within us—not to burden us, but to awaken us? This sermon invites listeners to slow down, pay attention, and trust that before God rebuilds walls or systems, God rebuilds hearts. Holy discontent is not the end of the story—it is the beginning of faithful action, one prayer, one life, one step at a time.

Sermon Text: 2 Chronicles 34:29-33 Description: Today, we commit yourselves to Christ and together renew our covenant to follow his way and live according to his ways.

Sermon Text: Isaiah 9:2–7 & John 1:1–14  Description: The Word became flesh—and nothing will ever be the same. 

Sermon Text: Matthew 11:2–11 Description: Even in doubt, joy blossoms when God draws near. 

John the Baptist calls us to repentance, making room for the One who is coming.  Scripture: Matthew 3:1–12

As we light the first candle of Advent, Rev. Linda L. Furtado invites us to pause, listen, and open ourselves to the hope God is planting in us. This sermon invites us into the surprising beginnings of the season—where ancient promises meet our present longing, and where the light of Christ begins to break into our world once more.

In this final week of our Rooted in Discipleship series, Dr. Jefferson M. Furtado explores what it means not only to be rooted in Christ, but to truly flourish in God's transforming grace. Drawing on the Wesleyan vision of sanctification and the practices that shape a mature life of faith, this sermon invites us to imagine discipleship as more than obligation—it is a life that bears fruit for the sake of the world. How do we grow deeper in love, steadier in hope, and bolder in service? What does flourishing look like in the real rhythms of our lives, our community, and our calling? And how might God be inviting us to take our next faithful step? Join us for an inspiring message that brings the series to a close with both challenge and encouragement: to be a people grounded in God's love and growing into the fullness of Christ. Scripture: Colossians 2:6–7

Sermon Title: Hidden Figures Preacher: Mary Kate Myers Scripture: Esther 4:1-17 CEB Theme: Faith, courage, and standing up in pivotal moments.

God often brings us the surprising gift of friendships we never expected.

Sermon Description: Jesus doesn't instigate his own parade. Instead, just his quiet presence alone inspires the multitude to shout out and praise God. When the religious leaders try to silence the crowd, Jesus tells them that the

Sermon Title: lost & found Preacher: Mary Kate Myers Scripture: Luke 15:1-7 Sermon Description: Herding sheep is a never-ending task. As soon as one is found, another may go missing. Our lives have a similar ebb and flow—in one moment we might feel like we have it all together, and in the next, we're struggling to survive. The promise of this parable is that no matter how “lost” we feel, the Good shepherd is by our side.

Sermon Title: faith & works Preacher: Jefferson Furtado Scripture: Luke 10:38-42 Sermon Description: In many translations, Jesus says that “Mary has chosen the better part,” which has been used to create a divide between Mary and Martha. However, in the Greek, Mary has chosen the “good portion,” and Martha's tasks are called “ministry.” Therefore, perhaps Mary represents our faith, our desire to know God intimately, and Martha represents our good works, our desire to transform the world. Both are needed, and both are good.

Luke 10:25-37 This parable begins and ends with the question, “Who is my neighbor?” and the answer is, surprisingly, “the stranger.” The Samaritan, whose place of worship and customs are different from the scribe who questions Jesus, is both a stranger and a neighbor to the man who was beaten and left in a ditch. In our world, many of our physical neighbors are strangers to us, and many of our neighbors—those closest to us—feel like strangers in divisive political climates. If we align our intentions and actions, then maybe we need to reconsider who we consider “stranger,” and ask ourselves if we have acted as good neighbors.

Luke 9: 51-62 The “would-be followers” (as the NRSVUE calls them) have good intentions. They want to follow Jesus, but Jesus calls them to put their money where their mouths are. Somewhere between good intentions and impulsive action lies discipleship. On Ash Wednesday, we make a commitment to align our intentions and our actions.