Podcasts about magrey devega

What if we all embraced the power to be witnesses? On Ascension Sunday, we hear Jesus' promise to the disciples: they would receive the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses, near and far. This service invites us to reclaim that evangelical spirit, which has been central to the Wesleyan movement from the start. Reflection Questions:1. What significant life stage transitions were rewarding? What were challenging?2. What did you learn about stability and moving forward as you went through those transitions?3. How will you strengthen both contemplation and action in your spiritual life?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

The character Nostalgia does not get much screen time in the film Inside Out 2, but it is a significant and regular aspect of our personality and emotional makeup. The capacity to remember the past with fondness can be a gift. Indeed, the Bible is filled with numerous commands to remember what God has done, and to celebrate the faithfulness of our ancestors. At the same time, like all emotions, nostalgia can also be a detriment, if taken to an extreme. When we fail to live fully into the present or fail to have creative and hopeful imagination about the future, then we are unduly anchored in what was, rather than what can be.  Reflection Questions:1. What makes you feel nostalgic, and what past moments does it make you remember?2. How will you learn from both the good and bad memories of your past?3. What is your inner child telling you? What do you want to tell them?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

In this special episode, Rev. Dr. Jenn Stiles Williams, Rev. Magrey deVega, and Conference Co-Lay Leader Derrick Scott III share a much appreciated update on the Ministry Hub. You can find out more on the Ministry Hub on the Conference website. The Laity Space Podcast is presented by Florida Conference Board of Laity and produced by Wesley's Revival. For more information, go to laityspace.org.

What if grief is not something to escape but something to navigate? Grief is the shadow side of love—we only grieve what we have loved. Avoiding grief means avoiding attachment, which is not an option in the human experience. The question isn't how to minimize grief but how to move through it in a healthy way.Reflection Questions:1. When are you most prone to experiencing sadness? Fear?2. In what ways can sadness and fear be beneficial? Detrimental?3. How will you learn to name sadness and fear, and express them in a healthy way?  Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

What if joy isn't about circumstances but about strength? True joy is anchored in the unwavering truth that God is our strength, no matter what we face. Reflection Questions:1. What does it mean for you to have healthy emotions?  2. How can you experience joy amid hardship?3. What do you think it means to believe that “the joy of the Lord is your strength”?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

In the most personal and poignant resurrection encounter in the gospels, Jesus appeared to Mary in the garden and revealed himself once he spoke aloud her name. The work of resurrection in us begins with recognizing our identity in Christ as a child of God, and then seeking to affirm the personhood of others who feel lost in their own grief and despair.  Reflection Questions:1. Why do you think Mary didn't recognize the resurrected Jesus?  2. In what ways do you live out of your false self?3. How can you allow God to help you rediscover and reveal your true self?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

The ransom atonement theory is built on the notion that we are being held captive by forces that are beyond our control, and in the cross, God has released us from being held hostage. We are therefore called and empowered to be agents of liberation against the injustices people face in our society and in the world.Reflection Questions:1. In what ways has Jesus set you free from personal sins?2. How does the two-fold understanding of biblical justice change your view of justice?3. How is God calling you to be a part of setting people free from social injustice?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

The moral example atonement theory points to the entirety of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection as the source of our salvation. In his teachings and example, we receive the model for how to love God and each other. We are therefore called and equipped to be agents of love that will overcome hatred and revenge, thereby fully revealing God's intended image within each of us.  Reflection Questions:1. What difference does it make for you in understanding the cross not just as a way to heaven, but as a way of experiencing eternal life on earth?2. Whom do you have trouble loving?3. How will you take steps this week to love the people who are hard to love?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

In Christ, we have been reconciled with God. We are therefore called and equipped to be agents of reconciliation among groups who have been divided by discrimination and prejudice.Reflection Questions:1. When have you experienced significant struggle in matters of your own personhood and identity?2. How have you harbored racism in your own heart?3. How do you intend to be more anti-racist in your life, your relationships, and your actions in the world?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

How can we ensure the Bible is a source of liberation rather than harm? Throughout history, Scripture has been misused to justify misogyny, racism, homophobia, and other systemic sins. In this episode, we explore how to read the Bible faithfully, uncovering its message of good news and freedom for all. Reflection Questions:1. What childhood story has brought you deeper meaning as you have gotten older?2. What passages in the Bible have been most troublesome for you to interpret?3. How will you approach the Bible through the lens of love, for God and others?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

What do we do with troubling images of God in the Bible that seem inconsistent with his love and faithfulness? Stories of God's unpredictable actions can feel more like ancient mythology than the God we know. Explore how to read Scripture faithfully, uncovering its timeless truths beyond antiquated imagery. Reflection Questions1. What images for God in the Bible are among your favorites? What are most troubling to you?2. How has your relationship with God changed over time? What role did external circumstances play in those changes?3. What new way might you explore envisioning and relating to God in your life?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

How can we reconcile a loving God with the violence depicted in the Bible? Many struggle with this challenge, especially when reading the Old Testament. Join us as we delve into how to navigate scripture faithfully while grappling with the tough questions about God, violence, and our understanding of his character. Reflection Questions:1. What biblical passages of violence are most troubling to you?2. How will you guard against the tendency to see the Old Testament as irrelevant or inferior?3. How will you live out the call of Jesus to non-violence?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

How does the way we interpret the Bible shape our faith? A Wesleyan approach focuses on inspiration rather than rigid concepts of inerrancy or infallibility. This perspective invites us to read Scripture dynamically and contextually, unlocking deeper truth and broader applicability. Join us to explore why this distinction matters so much. Reflection Questions:1. How will you see spiritual practices as a way of being, rather than an expectation of doing?2. What does it mean to you for the Bible to be inspired?3. How can different perspectives bring you new insights when reading of the Bible?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

What does it mean to give back to God through worship? Worship is our response to God's incredible gift of grace. Having received the breath of God, we use it to proclaim His power and might. Discover how worship reflects a beautiful cycle of grace and praise. Reflection Questions:1. How has Sunday worship prepared you to be worshipful throughout the week?2. What do you need to do to be more worshipful every day?3. How will worship enable you to be an inspiration for others?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

What does it mean to serve with love as your foundation? God has uniquely designed each of us to serve in specific ways for his purpose. Join us as we explore how to embrace your calling and live it out with love at the center.Reflection Questions:1. When have you experienced disenchantment in your life, or in the world?2. What Fruit of the Spirit are easiest to demonstrate? What are hardest?3. What parts of Dr. King's sermon or Psalm 37 resonate most with you? Why?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

There is inspiration every day, with evidence of God's power and presence, if we will only be open to seeing it.Reflection Questions:1. How would you define inspiration, in terms of your own personal experience?2. When have you felt inspired by something that is not necessarily “religious” in nature?3. How might conflict and struggle be a source of inspiration for you?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Explore how letters connect us across time, offering encouragement, preserving memories, and deepening faith. Join Pastor Magrey deVega as we discover how the spirit of Christmas letters can inspire us to live with grace, love, and prayer all year long.Reflection Questions:1. What is the most cherished letter you have ever received?2. What are your most favorite Christmas letters you've received this year?3. What suggestions from today's sermon will you apply?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

In Jesus the full divinity of God “was pleased to dwell.” Therefore, through Christ, we can be at peace with God and we can live in peace with one another.Reflection Questions:1, How do you think Jesus experienced full divinity when he was on earth?2. How does thinking about the life of Jesus draw you closer to God?3. How will you live out Jesus' example more fully?-- Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps --

Jesus is love incarnate, the “word of life” revealed to us as a human of both “water and blood.” He shows us the way of love, which shapes our relationships with God and others.Reflection Questions:1. What do you imagine the “magical circle” was like when you were born?2. When have you most vividly experienced God with your senses?3. How will you become more aware of God's love in ordinary moments?-- Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps --

The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus brings us good news, offering us the hope of salvation. In Romans, we see God's great plan to save all people from sin.Reflection Questions:1. What do you enjoy about receiving Christmas letters this time of year?2. How has God been faithful to you in the past? How is God active in your life now?3. If God were to write a Christmas letter to you now, what would it say?-- Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps --

Challenged to prove ourselves, we find our identity in Christ, our King.Reflection Questions:1. What do you think it means to call Jesus king?2. Do you think empathy is in short supply today? Who models it best for you?3. How will you emulate Jesus in your everyday life?-- Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps --

Christ never promises an easy walk, but one of sacrifice.Reflection Questions:1.) When in your life did all you thought was true and reliable seem “thrown down”?2.) When have you seen evidence of God not giving up during your hard times?3.) How will you release your energy as an act of defiant hope in the world?-- Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps --

The culmination of remembering our membership vows is an act of recommitment, which would include the submission of our estimates of giving cards. Reflection Questions:In what way do you experience this congregation as a “household”? How are you uniquely called and gifted to build up the work of this church? How will you recommit your efforts of prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness?--Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps--

The kingdom of God is built one life at a time, one relationship at a time, one moment of personal invitation at a time. Reflection Questions:What experience have you had with evangelism that is coercive or argumentative? What natural ways will you be a witness for Jesus? Which of the five ways to be a witness come easiest for you? Hardest?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/nextsteps

Giving of our time, talent, and treasure is a central aspect of discipleship, and, for some, is the most difficult one to surrender.Reflection Questions:1. When have you had a good experience baking bread, or enjoying bread someone else made?2. What difference does it make to see yourself as part of the global church of Jesus Christ? 3. How will you see your financial generosity as a way of making a living impact for God and others?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/nextsteps

Stories from our heritage not only tell us about our past. They remind us of who we are. Such is the story of our church's beginning, back in 1899, when a small group chose to sing “I Love to Tell the Story” at the site of what would become our church. Their courage and witness, coupled with their choice of song, tells us something about who we are.  HydeParkUMC.org/nextstepsReflection Questions:1. How can you re-prioritize your life, to focus less on being remembered, and more on being part of a story bigger than yourself? 2. How will you remember the “old, old story” of God's love in your life? 3. How will you live into the story of God's love through this church?

We wrap up this six-week series on the book, "Questions Jesus Asked," by Magrey DeVega, today. We have looked at a different question each week to deepen our relationship with the one who asked them. This week we explore the question, "What are you looking for?" As Andrew and the other disciple come to follow Jesus, his is the question he asks them. It begs the question, what is it you are looking for and are you truly ready for the answer that Jesus will give? Are you ready and willing to do the work that the answer requires?Join us at 10:00 am in person (1630 Statesville Blvd in Salisbury, NC) or online this Sunday. Thank you again for worshipping with us. For more information about our congregation, please visit our website at milfordhillsumc.org. If you would like to support Milford Hills UMC in our mission to Love, Serve, and Live as Christ, please go to milfordhillsumc.org/give and support our congregation through our Tithe.ly app. 

In 1899, a group of 30 people from First Methodist in Tampa crossed the Hillsborough River to begin meeting in a two-room schoolhouse at the corner of Platt and Magnolia. 125 years later, we are living into a legacy that has proclaimed the good news of Jesus and built the kingdom of God for generation. This three-part worship series celebrates the grace of God and the history of our church, and points us toward an exciting future for generations to come.HydeParkUMC.org/nextstepsReflection Questions:What favorite stories do you know about your ancestors? What does it mean for you to think of yourself as a simultaneous descendant and ancestor? How will you live faithfully now to leave a living impact for those to follow?

This is a six-week series on the book, "Questions Jesus Asked," by Magrey DeVega. We will look at a different question each week to deepen our relationship with the one who asked them. This week we explore the question, "Whom will you love?" In the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6, Jesus gives some really hard things to do as his disciples. We are to love our enemy and if we do, that tells the world the power of Jesus's love and grace. This is easier said than actually done, but it isn't impossible for someone. Join us at 10:00 am in person (1630 Statesville Blvd in Salisbury, NC) or online this Sunday. Thank you again for worshipping with us. For more information about our congregation, please visit our website at milfordhillsumc.org. If you would like to support Milford Hills UMC in our mission to Love, Serve, and Live as Christ, please go to milfordhillsumc.org/give and support our congregation through our Tithe.ly app. 

This is a six-week series on the book, "Questions Jesus Asked," by Magrey DeVega. We will look at a different question each week to deepen our relationship with the one who asked them. This week we explore the question, "What do you live for?" We all live for something, college football, the fall, pumpkin spice whatever, basketweaving, or the grandchildren. However, if we are to have an abundant life, one that follows Jesus, then we need to cast those things aside and put Christ first. We are to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. Join us at 10:00 am in person (1630 Statesville Blvd in Salisbury, NC) or online this Sunday. Thank you again for worshipping with us. For more information about our congregation, please visit our website at milfordhillsumc.org. If you would like to support Milford Hills UMC in our mission to Love, Serve, and Live as Christ, please go to milfordhillsumc.org/give and support our congregation through our Tithe.ly app. 

This is a six-week series on the book, "Questions Jesus Asked," by Magrey DeVega. We will look at a different question each week to deepen our relationship with the one who asked them. This week we explore the question, "Why are you anxious?" In Luke's gospel, Jesus reminds us of ravens and lilies who aren't worried about life as much as us humans. If God will provide for them, how much more will God provide what we need? Anxiety is a hard thing to turn off and in this sermon we explore some ways to combat those emotions and to focus on what God is and has already given us. Join us at 10:00 am in person (1630 Statesville Blvd in Salisbury, NC) or online this Sunday. Thank you again for worshipping with us. For more information about our congregation, please visit our website at milfordhillsumc.org. If you would like to support Milford Hills UMC in our mission to Love, Serve, and Live as Christ, please go to milfordhillsumc.org/give and support our congregation through our Tithe.ly app. 

 John Wesley's famous sermon “Catholic Spirit” provides guidance on how Christians of different perspectives and traditions can find common ground, just as Jehu and Jehonadab joined hands in the passage in 2 Kings. Despite some significant differences among Protestant denominations, we hold much more in common, and we are called to forge a dynamic and united witness to the good news of Jesus Christ in the world. HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. What is the story of your religious journey? What faith traditions shape who you are?2. What similarities among denominations do you find most meaningful?3. What is best about being United Methodist to you?

This week starts a six-week series on the book, "Questions Jesus Asked," by Magrey DeVega. We will look at a different question each week to deepen our relationship with the one who asked them. This week we explore the question, "Who do you say that I am?" How does our experience and theology of God move our answer from being rote to something that affects every aspect of our lives?  Join us at 10:00 am in person (1630 Statesville Blvd in Salisbury, NC) or online this Sunday. Thank you again for worshipping with us. For more information about our congregation, please visit our website at milfordhillsumc.org. If you would like to support Milford Hills UMC in our mission to Love, Serve, and Live as Christ, please go to milfordhillsumc.org/give and support our congregation through our Tithe.ly app. 

This is a six-week series on the book, "Questions Jesus Asked," by Magrey DeVega. We will look at a different question each week to deepen our relationship with the one who asked them. This week we explore the question, "Why are you afraid?" The disciples are being rocked by a storm on the lake and JEsus is just taking a nap in the back of the boat. When they wake him up, he asks them, "Why are you afraid?" The tone of that question can chage the way we hear it and the way we can answer it.Join us at 10:00 am in person (1630 Statesville Blvd in Salisbury, NC) or online this Sunday. Thank you again for worshipping with us. For more information about our congregation, please visit our website at milfordhillsumc.org. If you would like to support Milford Hills UMC in our mission to Love, Serve, and Live as Christ, please go to milfordhillsumc.org/give and support our congregation through our Tithe.ly app. 

Mary McLeod Bethune was an educator, philanthropist, and civil rights activist, whose work was deeply rooted in her Christian convictions. Bethune-Cookman University stands as an enduring reminder of her legacy, as this states only United Methodist historically black college. Her famous quote “Without faith, nothing is possible; with faith, nothing is impossible” captures her belief in the power of God to transform hearts and communities for the better.  HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. What Voices of Inspiration in this worship series have been most meaningful to you, and why? 2. What insights and inspiration does Mary McLeod Bethune's story evoke in you? 3. How will you become a voice of inspiration to others?

Mahalia Jackson was one of the greatest musical artists of her generation, not just for her beautiful music, but also for her inspirational witness. Her most iconic moments were in her singing of “His Eye is On the Sparrow,” based on the teaching of Jesus in Matthew, which inspired comfort and encouragement during the civil rights movement. Her encouragement for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to “tell them about the dream, Martin,” elicited the grand, sweeping conclusion to his famous speech in Washington, D.C.  HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. What do you think makes singing such a powerful form of individual and communal expression?2. What songs have been most inspiring to you throughout your life? 3. How familiar are you with the music of Mahalia Jackson? How might you listen to her music over the coming days? 

Mother Theresa of Calcutta was the greatest charitable force in our lifetimes. She inspired us to give of ourselves humbly and obediently for the sake of the poor and needy, regardless of the cost. Hers was a living embodiment of the psalmist's words, to “raise the poor out of dust, and the needy out of the ash heap.” Her life and witness is captured in her quote, based on Psalm 113: “Joy is prayer; joy is strength: joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. What is “Your Own Calcutta?” How will you practice and compassion and mercy to others? 2. In what ways can you be more persistent in doing the work Jesus calls you to do? 3. What lessons can you learn from Mother Teresa in how she named and dealt with doubt?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one of the most significant martyrs of the 20th century, whose courageous stance against the Hitler and Christian Nationalism continues to inspire us. In his famous book “The Cost of Discipleship,” he calls the church to remember that when God calls people to follow him, he “calls them to come and die.” HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. Who have been the significant “voices of inspiration” in your own spiritual journey? 2. What is something new you learned about the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer? 3. How will you follow Jesus more closely this week?

For many, the existence of suffering and evil in the world is the greatest hurdle to full faith and belief in God. It seems irreconcilable that a God who is all-powerful and all-loving could allow the presence of pain and hardship. It is a dilemma that preacher and biblical scholar Tom Long called “the impossible chess match,” in which there is no clear and clean outcome. But faith allows us to trust where there are no easy answers, and follow God when we ask our hardest questions. HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. When have you wrestled with God's relationship to human suffering? 2. What has given you strength during times of hardship? Where do you think God was? 3. How have you experienced God transforming your suffering into something positive?

The early church theologian Anselm defined God as “a being than which nothing greater can be conceived.” This central premise led to the classic “omni” qualities of God: Omnipresence (God is everywhere), omnipotence (God is all powerful), and omnipresent (God is all knowing). These qualities have occasionally been problematic for us due to the presence of suffering and evil in the world. By reframing these qualities and incorporating God's “omnibenevolence” (God's all-lovingness), we can discover who God is in a deeper, more uplifting way.  HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. Who are people who have embodied a quality of God for you? 2. Which attribute of God do you have the hardest time understanding or accepting? 3. When have you experienced the omnibenevolence of God?

The dual nature of Jesus is central to Christian belief. We believe Jesus was 100% human and 100% divine. It is as difficult to understand this concept empirically (1+1=1) as it is to believe in the trinity (1+1+1=1). But claiming the full humanity and divinity of Jesus allows us to have a full relationship with God, who through Christ is both greater than us and is deeply connected to us.  HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. Do you tend to have a “high” or “low” image of Jesus? 2. What significance does the full divinity and humanity of Jesus have for you? 3. How will you deepen your love and appreciation for Jesus this week? 

The doctrine of the trinity is one of the most essential tenets of the Christian faith. It is also the hardest to explain and understand rationally. By claiming our belief in the triune God, we not only allow for the mystery of God's nature and activity; we also discover how to fully live a trinitarian life, the way God intends.  HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps.comReflection Questions:1. What are the hardest questions about the faith that you wrestle with? 2. What is your favorite image of the trinity? 3. How will you live a trinitarian life this week?

The wilderness and desert are two of the most common natural landscapes in the Bible. Psalm 107 captures how the desert can be a place of loneliness, stress, and anxiety, which are common experiences for us today. But just as every biblical figure who entered the wilderness discovered, the desert is also a place to experience God's presence in a new and profound way.HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. What are your most vivid memories of being in a desert?2. Which of the four metaphors in Psalm 107 best describes what you are struggling with?3. Do you believe that God loves you? What difference does that make for you?

Just as there are mountaintops in life, so there are valleys. The most famous reference to a valley in the Bible is in Psalm 23, where it depicts the long shadow of grief and loss. This service invites us to name our grief and loss, and points us toward healthy ways to process that grief and find hope.HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. What valleys are you experiencing right now? 2. How will you shift from talking about God to connecting personally with God? 3. How will you remember that God is with you?

Psalms 120-134 are often referred to as the “Psalms of Ascent,” which would have been uttered as the Israelites ascended the Temple Mount to experience the presence of God. The Bible is filled with “mountaintop moments,” when people experienced God personally and intimately. This service invites us to ask when we have had such moments in our lives, whether on a literal mountain or not.HydeParkUMC/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. What are your most memorable “mountain top” moments? 2. How does an “uphill climb” and a “downhill descent” help you focus on God and slow your pace? 3. How will you let God help you keep your highs from getting too high, and your lows from getting too low?

In Mark's Easter gospel, the power of the resurrection through Christ can redeem the lingering guilt and shame of our yesterdays, the real time struggle and suffering of our present days, and the fear and anxiety of our tomorrows. God's resurrection power is timeless, resilient, and always with us.HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. What boulder-type burdens are you carrying today? 2. Where have you seen evidence of God's love at work in your past? In your present? 3. In what way will you move forward and claim the new life God is preparing for your future?  

 The story of Holy Week begins with shouts of Hosanna, but by week's end, those shouts become cries to murder Jesus. Holy Week is an invitation for us to locate ourselves in the story, and ask, as the old hymn says, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsHydeParkUMC.org/EasterReflection Questions:1. For what reasons are you praying “Hosanna” today? 2. How might your daily prayer time include both verse 24 and 25 of Psalm 118? 3. How will you participate in the services and observances of Holy Week this week?

Jesus compared his imminent death on the cross to the burial of a seed, which is necessary in order for it to spring to new life. Likewise, once we are willing to have Jesus put to death the sin in our lives, we can be raised to new life in Christ.HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. What is the most challenging aspect of these  words of Jesus  for you personally? 2. Who has modeled for you servanthood and self-sacrifice? 3. What are the “little deaths” that you are experiencing right now? How might they be the gateway to new life?

The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) all place the turning of the tables in the Temple in the middle of Holy Week, after the triumphal entry in Jerusalem. John places the story much, much earlier, right at the outset of the ministry of Jesus. By doing this, John makes the overturning of the tables a preamble to all of Jesus' miracles and teachings, as if to suggest that overturning our lives is an initial step toward discipleship.HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions:1. For what reasons do you think Jesus would overturn tables today? 2. How do you think the vendors responded? The religious leaders? The disciples? 3. In what ways can you be a part of a faith community at its healthiest and best?

The ministry of Jesus was full of reversals. Rather than feed our ego-driven, self-centered tendencies to focus on our own needs, he called us to lose ourselves, serve others, and give our lives for others. These reversals invert contemporary wisdom and right-size our lives for God.HydeParkUMC.org/NextStepsReflection Questions1. How are you alike and unlike the life of Peter in the gospels? 2. In what ways does Jesus' phrase “Take up your cross” make you feel unsettled, even challenged? 3. How will you be more intentional and diligent in your practical commitments to Jesus?