Dear Hyde Park Family,

“Can you hear me now?”

You may remember that famous line from the advertising campaign for Verizon Wireless. It began on January 14, 2002, when nearly half of all Americans owned a cell phone. The ad assured Verizon subscribers that their cell coverage was so comprehensive that they could hear the other person’s voice from virtually anywhere in the country, at any time.

Think about the first time you ever owned and used a portable phone. Remember the remarkable feeling of being able to hear someone’s voice on the other end, wherever you happened to be? Remember the freedom and awe it was to feel connected at any time?

Now, let’s take it to a spiritual level. Wouldn’t it be nice if God’s voice worked that way, too? To hear a clear, audible voice from God telling us what we are to do, who we are to be, and what we are to say? Let’s admit that we are a bit jealous of some of our biblical ancestors, who apparently were able to hear God’s voice, clear as day.

• Abraham heard God say, “Pick up your family and move.” And he did.
• Moses heard God say in a burning bush, “Deliver my people.” So, he did, too.
• Elijah heard God say in a still, small voice, “You’re not alone.” And he wasn’t.

Wouldn’t picking a job, selecting a mate, deciding on house, even choosing what outfit to wear be a whole lot easier if we could hear God say to us, audibly,

• “Pursue this degree instead of that one. I have plans for you.”
• Or, “Go to the coffee shop at 5pm. The person I want you to marry is there.”
• Or, “I want you to live in that townhouse. The one by the water. Put in an offer.”

The truth is, the spiritual life is not at all like picking up a cell phone and hearing God pick up on the other side. Instead, following Jesus is built on faith, and the practices that help us stretch, grow, and mature. In that way, learning how to listen for God’s voice is just as important as what we hear God say. It is that regular flexing and developing of those spiritual muscles that help us grow in our faith, and live life as God intends.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey

Dear Hyde Park Family,

As we conclude our worship series “The Meaning of Methodist” this Sunday, here are ten reasons I love being United Methodist. I pray they resonate with you, too.

1. I love how United Methodists view God. We believe that first and foremost, God is love. God also exists as the trinity, though John Wesley did not require any one exclusive way to understand it. Like his openness to the varieties atonement theories, Wesley’s primary concern was that any theological claim would lead a person to greater love and holiness. I love how being a United Methodist is so theologically grounded in Christian tradition, while also very practical. This is generous orthodoxy.

2. I love the way United Methodists understand God’s grace. We cannot earn or deserve our salvation, yet we still must accept Jesus as our Savior. John Wesley navigated the tension between God’s power and human free will through the idea of prevenient grace, in which our very ability to choose to accept Jesus is itself a gift from God, at work long before we realized it.

3. I love how United Methodist means being a work in progress. Prevenient grace is just the first step toward a lifelong work of grace in our lives (prevenient, justifying, sanctifying). We remember that God loves us enough to meet us where we are, and loves us too much to leave us there. And I love the idea that God offers us means of grace (including prayer, communion, fasting, and scripture reading) that enable us to renew our sense of God’s love and reaffirm our commitment to Jesus.

4. I love the way United Methodists embrace both faith and reason. John Wesley believed in the Bible as our primary authority for matters of faith, and he encouraged reason as a lens for interpreting it, in light of the scientific wisdom of the time. He encouraged his preachers to learn reason and logic, and he sent them the latest philosophies of his day. I love how being United Methodist enables me to embrace both religion and science, as a kind of stereoscopic way to view and appreciate and understand the splendor of creation. 

5. I love the way United Methodists read the Bible. We focus on the whole of the Bible’s message, which conveys the ongoing and enduring love of God for the world. John Wesley was less interested in more minor details regarding the Bible’s contradictions and anachronisms, concentrating instead on how the Bible’s overarching narratives can lead us to a greater love. I love how Wesley’s approach freed me from my earlier fundamentalist, literalist days, and encourages us to ask reasonable, thoughtful questions that deepen our faith.

6. I love how United Methodists understand shared governance and holy conferencing. We have a unique polity and structure in our denomination that reminds us that no one person ever has sole authority to make all the decisions on any level. The local church has shared governance between the clergy and laity, and among the various elected leadership committees. The denomination has no pope or president, but is guided by a gathering of delegates in holy conversation. The Annual Conference is given spiritual direction by the bishop, who presides over the decisions made by elected delegates from all its churches. I love that in the United Methodist Church, we discern God’s best future together. 

7. I love how United Methodists live in the center, in the way of love. We are a people of the via media, the way of the middle, the center. We take the best of two ideological opposites and forge a third way that allows us to be unified in the essentials of our faith while allowing latitude on lesser matters of interpretation. When we are at our healthiest and best as a church, we model the kind of non-binary, non-dualistic thinking that guided John Wesley’s belief and practice.

8. I love how United Methodists are connectional and impact the world. From the small groups that meet in a local church to the missions and efforts that span the world, we are a connectional people. Our denominational structures ensure that our faithfulness on the local level can be amplified on a global level. We support hospitals, relief agencies, community service centers, schools, seminaries, and missionaries near and far. We recently raised $27 million dollars of relief for the people of Ukraine. We are making a difference.

9. I love how United Methodists sing their faith. John Wesley believed in the balance between heart and mind, something that the songs of Charles Wesley and other songwriters convey. Whether we sing in corporate worship or in the privacy of our own devotions, we put melody to our theology, and offer praise to God with our hearts and our minds. Methodists are a singing people.

10. I love how the United Methodist Church is itself a work in progress and moving on to perfection. God’s sanctifying grace is at work on the people called Methodist, just as it has been throughout our history. When we have gotten it wrong as a church, God has nudged us toward more perfection in love. We overcame our structural separation over slavery in 1939. We began ordaining women to be clergy in 1956. We allowed divorced pastors to remain as clergy in the 1960’s and 1970’s. We are navigating new challenges over LGBTQ inclusion, and we will get there. God loves the church enough to meet us where we are, and loves it too much to leave it there.   

Most of all, I love serving a congregation that will be part of the continuing United Methodist Church. For nearly 125 years, we have been part of the remarkable work of the Holy Spirit here in Tampa Bay and throughout the world. It is a joy to make God’s love real together.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey

FLORIDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE UPDATE

Over recent months the Florida Annual Conference has been navigating challenges from some churches wishing to leave the United Methodist Church. Hyde Park United Methodist is not one of those churches, and we remain committed to being part of God’s bright future for the continuing United Methodist Church. The Conference website is a helpful place to read the most recent developments, including this statement from Bishop Ken Carter and this helpful FAQ giving additional details. 

Dear Hyde Park Family,

Today I am remembering some very special people in my life.

I remember the woman who worked in the church nursery when I was just a small child. I don’t remember her name, but I can still recollect her face and her smile. She welcomed me when my parents dropped me off prior to attending worship at Pasadena Community Church in St. Petersburg.

I remember a woman named Ruth, who told me a story about Jesus when I was in her classroom at just six years old. She asked if anyone wanted to accept Jesus into their heart. I raised my hand. I said a prayer. She gave me a hug. I wrote the date in my Bible: January 7, 1979.

I remember two women named Jackie and Carol. They were volunteer youth leaders at Pasadena when I ventured enough courage to attend Sunday night youth group for the first time. They welcomed me, introduced me to the other kids, led in some games, and then threw a whipped cream pie in my face. I was hooked, and kept coming back to that youth group.

I remember a couple named Nancy and Mike Gilson. Nancy was the youth director at the church; Mike, her husband. Together they modeled Christ’s love and offered warm acceptance of all the teens, including me. They recruited, trained and encouraged youth volunteers. I eventually became a volunteer myself.

Now, I am serving in a church that is built on a legacy of faithful children and youth volunteers. I like to think that the same Spirit of God that called Ruth, Jackie, Carol, Nancy and Mike is still calling forth people to serve this most precious generation of Christians.

Perhaps that can include people like you.

Do you have such faithful people in your past who have shaped you? More importantly, would you consider volunteering in children or youth ministry? We have an amazing staff of people who would love to work with you, discover your interest and passions, and steer you toward making a profound difference in the life of a young person.

To sign up or to learn more, click here.

By volunteering for children and youth ministry, you can literally shape the future. Just like people did for you and me.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey

THIS SUNDAY: THE MEANING OF METHODIST: ONE WHO IMPACTS THE WORLD

This Sunday we have the privilege of welcoming Rev. Gary Mason as our guest preacher. He is the director of Rethinking Conflict in Belfast, Northern Ireland, an internationally recognized advocate for peace and reconciliation in conflicts around the world. Gary played a central role in navigating the Good Friday Peace Accords that ended the 30-Year War in Belfast known as “The Troubles.” He will speak to us about the power and calling of United Methodists to impact the public sphere through mission and witness.

Dear Hyde Park Family,

The world lost a major spiritual voice last Monday when we learned of the death of Frederick Buechner. He was a Presbyterian minister, spiritual teacher and prolific author of 39 books. He is one of the most often quoted writers by preachers today, including me. One of my favorites of his is “Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing.”

Our own Bernie Lieving has said that every time he had to answer the question, “Whom would I most like to meet?” he always answered Frederick Buechner. The publication Christianity Today called him the “Minister’s Minister.” We will miss him, and we are grateful for the enduring impact of his writings and teachings.

Buechner wrote a little story called “The Happy Hypocrite.” It is a about a man who was born with an awful facial deformity and grew up alone and lonely. When reaching adulthood, he decided to move from his town to another to begin a new life. On his way, he discovered a beautiful mask that fit him, making him look handsome. At first, the mask was uncomfortable, and he was afraid that people would find out who he really was, but he continued to wear the mask every day.

In his new hometown, he made many friends and fell in love. But one day a wicked witch from his old home came to his town and discovered this man’s true identity. In front of his friends and fiancé, she forced him to remove his mask. When he took it off, it revealed a handsome face.

His face had conformed to the mask.

Buechner used that story to talk about the work of God’s grace. The Apostle Paul instructed us to “live a life worthy of your calling.” (Ephesians 4:1-16) It means allowing God to take the malformed, unpleasant, and even ugly parts of our lives and slowly conform them to the beauty of God’s call. It means allowing our reality to be shaped into God’s identity.

Paul provided a list. To live a life worthy of your calling, you must be humble, gentle, and patient. And we should bear with one another in love and stay united.

Ask yourself, which of these qualities is hard for you?

• Humility? Is it hard to acknowledge that you may not be as superior as you want others to think you are?
• Gentleness? Is it hard to manage your temptation to lash back and get even?
• Patience? Is it hard to allow the process of growth and maturity to temper your frustrations with others and with yourself?
• Bearing with one another in love? Is it hard to love others who are different from you?
• Preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? Is it hard to allow the Holy Spirit to remind us that we have a lot more in common than we are different.

Holiness is hard. That’s why Paul reminds us that we can’t do it alone, and we don’t have to. Because of God’s calling on our lives, we are part of a spiritual community that can allow our reality to be shaped into God’s identity. That’s why we place such a high value on every person being in a small group, and you can sign up here to join one starting in September.

As we continue our worship series “The Meaning of Methodist” this Sunday and focus on the value of being connectional, we remember the words of John Wesley: “There is no holiness except social holiness.” The holy life is only possible through the social connections we have with each other. You can’t do it alone.

Rest in peace, Frederick Buechner. Thank you for your wisdom and incomparable wordsmithing. And thanks for the reminder for all of us to live into our calling, by God’s grace.

Magrey

Dear Hyde Park Family,

This week, schools are beginning a new year all across our area. It is a time mixed with anticipation, apprehension and the welcome return of routine. It is also an opportunity for us to pray God’s blessings on our students, teachers, families, staff and administrators, along with our children and youth ministries and Small Blessings preschool. I invite you to join in offering this prayer for the year ahead.

A PRAYER FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR

Gracious and Eternal God,

At this start of a new year of education and ministry, we give thanks for the many ways that you are a loving teacher of us all. Your love reminds us that we are all your children, and students under your tutelage. You guide us toward a life of wholeness and decency, instruct us with the principles of holy living, and correct our missteps with grace and forgiveness. We are grateful for the lessons you teach us, which in turn guide the children who learn from our example.

We pray for our area schools and all our teachers, who have the noble task of educating the most impressionable among us. Grant them patience in the classroom, wisdom in their counsel and endurance for the year ahead. May they receive from us the affirmation they richly deserve but rarely receive.

We pray for school administrators and staff. Lead them through the challenges of underfunding, understaffing, and rapidly changing technology. We pray for the current election of school board members. Guide our leaders in providing the courage, wisdom, and resources our schools need.

We pray for the families of our community. Call them to a deeper level of involvement in the education of their kids and in support of their schools. Help them find a balance between busyness and family time. We pray for those facing financial hardship during these unsteady economic times, especially those experiencing poverty. Guide this church in ministering to them.

We pray that all our school campuses will be secure and healthy. Stem the tide of gun violence and reduce the presence of bullying. Surround our children with role models that encourage decent behavior and healthy choices. May our children flourish in an environment that is safe, fun, and intellectually energizing.

We pray for the ministries to children and youth in our church. Thank you for the faithful work of our ministry staff and volunteers, and grant them the wisdom and love that will make a deep and lasting impact. We pray for all our children and youth, including the preschoolers of Small Blessings, that they would each find their truest identity in the grand, ongoing story of your love.

God, you have placed a sense of eternity in our hearts, that we cannot fully see all that you have done from the beginning to the end. Help us rise to the great responsibility of being faithful stewards of our children. May they forge ahead into the bright future you have envisioned for them.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Rabbi, teacher, and Lord,

Amen.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey

Dear Hyde Park Family,

I returned to the office this week, having relished the gift of a study and renewal leave. My daughters and I shared some wonderful experiences, the insights from which I am eager to share with you over the weeks and months ahead. For now, I am grateful to all of you for continuing to grow in your faith and your support of the ministries of the church throughout this summer. I am also grateful to the staff and volunteers who made God’s love real in remarkable ways in the areas of worship, children and youth ministries, missions and discipleship.

I look forward to being in worship with you again this Sunday, as we kick off a new worship series. I’ll share more about that with you at the end of today’s Midweek Message.

MY FAVORITES FROM THIS SUMMER

The staff held a potluck lunch on Tuesday for us to reconnect after my return, and I shared with them the following list of “favorites” from my renewal leave. Perhaps you will enjoy them as well:

Favorite Film: “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.” It’s a real charmer of a film: original, creative, life-affirming storytelling. I saw it in the Tampa Theater last week, and it’s now showing in most of the area movie theaters. Go see it if you can!

Favorite TV show: “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street.” HBO and HBO Max. A documentary about the development of a TV series that was so foundational to me and many of you. It explores the themes of creativity, equality, and opportunity that were in the heart of its creators.

Favorite Video: “12 Truths I Learned from Life and Writing” by Anne Lamott. She’s one of my favorite writers, and this TED Talk is jam packed with nuggets of insight and humor.

Favorite Song: “Thank You” by Ben Rector. I love all of Ben’s music, and his latest album, “The Joy of Music” is wonderful. It is as spirited and lively as his other recordings, while also more self-reflective.

Favorite Non-Fiction Book: “How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question” by Michael Schur. It’s an absolutely hilarious and utterly insightful exploration of different ways to make moral, ethical choices. The author has produced some of the greatest comedies of the last twenty years (The Office, Parks and Rec, The Good Place.) Bonus points if you get the audiobook, as it is voiced by the cast of The Good Place.

Favorite Fiction Book: “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin. I adored her “Storied Life of A.J. Fikry,” so when I saw that she released this latest book a few weeks ago, I had to read it. My girls and I agree it’s one of the best novels we’ve ever read. I have never cared for main characters like I cared for the ones in this book.

If you are interested in purchasing either of these books, we invite you to check out our church’s Amazon page, which contains a list of staff recommendations. Proceeds from purchases from that website support the ministries of Hyde Park United Methodist.

THIS SUNDAY: THE MEANING OF METHODIST

I am eager to join you in a new worship series that explores the unique and meaningful distinctives about being a United Methodist. It is a series that will give you greater appreciation for our Wesleyan heritage, not at the expense of other Christian traditions, but to strengthen your commitment to Jesus and enthusiasm for the Christian life. The series will cover the following topics:

The Meaning of Methodist

August 7

“One Who Lives in Grace”

(United Methodist Belief)

Ephesians 2:1-10

August 14

“One Who Practices Daily”

(United Methodist Disciplines)

Psalm 119:97-112

August 21

“One Who Connects with Others”

(The United Methodist Church)

Exodus 18:13-27

August 28

“One Who Impacts the World”

(United Methodist Mission)

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

September 4

“One Who Moves to the Center”

(United Methodists Together)

Galatians 3:19-29

It’s good to be back! See you Sunday!

Magrey

Dear Hyde Park Family,

We are now in graduation season here in the Tampa Bay area, as we celebrate high school seniors embarking on an exciting and unfolding future. We will be honoring our seniors this Sunday in worship, as well as praying for graduating students at every level of education.

Yesterday I re-read a passage from Jeremiah that I have often turned to in times of transition and unsettledness in my life, which I also commended to Grace and Madelyn during their own recent graduations from high school:

“The Lord proclaims: Stop at the crossroads and look around; ask for the ancient paths. Where is the good way? Then walk in it and find a resting place for yourselves.” (Jeremiah 6:16)

Addressing the Israelite exiles, who were at a significant crossroads of change and uncertainty, Jeremiah called them to look for the “ancient paths” and the “good way.” He encouraged them to lean into the values and principles that formed them and were imparted by their ancestors.

In that spirit, I offer these words of guidance to our graduates:

• Look for the ancient paths. Remember the way integrity and obedience to God. Follow the path charted by all those who entrusted the faith to you, and you will always find “a resting place for yourselves.”

• Cultivate the qualities of empathy, curiosity, and humility. These three will serve you well as you meet new people, navigate new challenges, and become a better human being.

• Orient your life toward generosity and compassion toward others and toward yourself. Remember how the most important adults in your life demonstrated those qualities for you.

• Enjoy the discovery of who you are, and who you are not.

• Know that a life of independence will mean you can make many of your own choices, which means dealing with your own consequences.

• Remember that sometimes the most important lessons will only be learned in the hardest of ways. You will succeed at times, and sometimes you will fail. You will gain great knowledge, as well as learn the limits of your understanding. You will sometimes come up short, even if you do all the right things.

• Remember that you will never be alone. Your family and friends will cheer you on. You have a church that will be praying for you over the months to come and will always be a spiritual home that will welcome you back.

• Recognize that your parents will be changing, too. They will be navigating a new kind of parenthood, shifting toward becoming more of your mentor, coach, and adviser. Give them grace, as they do the best they can.

• Most of all, hold on to your faith. God began a good work in you from the moment you were born. As you stay faithful to your spiritual roots, you will discover God’s fruit born in and through you in ways you cannot imagine.

Friends, our future is bright because of these rising generations of young people. Born in the shadow of 9/11, raised during a major recession, educated during a global pandemic, and joining in the great social and political challenges of our day, their resilience and determination can give us hope. We pray for them and give thanks for the difference they will make in the world.

Happy Graduation!

Magrey

Dear Hyde Park Family,

In preparation for this Sunday, when we celebrate and honor the mothers and mother figures in our lives, here is a reprise of a prayer for Mother’s Day that I first offered years ago. May it guide us into a deeper appreciation for these special persons, and reflect on the character of God, who is like a mother to us all.

A MOTHER’S DAY PRAYER

God of Provision and Unconditional Love,

On this day when we acknowledge the importance of motherhood among us, we first give thanks that you are a loving parent to us all. From your being all life was born, and from your bosom all creation is nurtured. You have formed us in your image as your children, and gathered us together as a brood under your wing. You have united us as kindred members of one human family, and we celebrate how your love is reflected in human expressions of motherhood.

We give you thanks for the mothers among us, and ask that you strengthen them in their daily tasks. Grant them wisdom in the lessons they teach, both by word and example. Give them patience in the discipline they provide, and persistence in their daily labors. May they be given the honor and thanks they deserve but often do not receive.

We thank you for all mother figures: grandmothers, aunts, sisters, wives, step-mothers, foster mothers, guardians, babysitters, teachers, neighbors, and friends, who practice self-sacrifice and compassion to all within their influence. Grant them vigor and satisfaction in their work.  

We acknowledge, God, that even amid our grateful celebration, many of us come with restless spirits, reluctant to name the difficulties of this day.

For some, this day brings the sorrowful awareness of their own inability to conceive biological children. Draw your spirit near their feelings of self-betrayal and grief, and remind them that those who struggle with infertility have always shared a special place in your heart. We pray for those who have suffered miscarriages, those fatigued by fertility treatments, and those struggling through the process of adoption. May they remember that in your power and through your church, they can still leave a lasting legacy beyond themselves.

For some, this day is marked by loneliness and grief, as they spend this first Mother’s Day as a widower, an orphan, or a parent who has lost a child. To those who live in the wake of the death of a loved one, grant glimpses of the resurrection. Bring to them a steady restoration of their broken hearts, allow them to live into their future with hope, and empower them to carry out the legacy of lessons instilled within them.

For some, this is a day that surfaces ongoing tensions that exist within our own families. We ask for healing from the wounds of our past, a path of forgiveness for wrongs both experienced and committed, and the rebuilding of trust forged in honesty, authenticity, and love.

We give you thanks for the wide spectrum of motherhood represented among us today: new mothers and young mothers whose children are in their most tender years; mothers of grown children who transition into empty nests and a new chapter of self-discovery; mothers and grandmothers of advanced years, whose twilight of life is marked by frailty of body but a potency of spirit. Theirs is a cumulative reminder that though our lives are marked by transition and change, your nurture and affection for all your children remains the same.

God, remind us to live with a child-like faith, curious to every wondrous mystery, attentive to your every instruction, obedient to your every command, and willing to share with every one of your children. We give you thanks, O God, who is a loving Mother and Father to us all, and in whose name we pray,

Amen.