Lessons and Carols 2025

Click/tap <a href= "https://www.hpumc.org/uploads/documents/Sanctuary-Sermon-Reflection-Guide-December-14-2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Following Jesus is serious work. But have you ever met someone who seems to take themselves way too seriously in the process? In all their religiosity, there’s no laughter, no whimsy, no joy—just a rigid seriousness they assume God must clearly require for approval. Churches do this, too. Sometimes, in the name of reverence, we create environments with no room for passion and emotion. Just keep your head down and be quiet. God can't possibly want you to celebrate. Given how many times we see the word "rejoice" in our Scriptures, I've often wondered why we repress—or never even realize—the power of joy in our lives. Thankfully, joy is one of the four themes of Advent.  This week, we'll take a look at what it means to embrace one of God's greatest gifts to humanity.

<description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 14pt;"&gt;Click/tap &lt;a href= "https://www.hpumc.org/uploads/documents/Sanctuary-Sermon-Reflection-Guide-December-14-2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Following Jesus is serious work. But have you ever met someone who seems to take themselves way too seriously in the process? In all their religiosity, there’s no laughter, no whimsy, no joy—just a rigid seriousness they assume God must clearly require for approval.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Churches do this, too. Sometimes, in the name of reverence, we create environments with no room for passion and emotion. Just keep your head down and be quiet. God can't possibly want you to celebrate. Given how many times we see the word "rejoice" in our Scriptures, I've often wondered why we repress—or never even realize—the power of joy in our lives. Thankfully, joy is one of the four themes of Advent. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;This week, we'll take a look at what it means to embrace one of God's greatest gifts to humanity.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Click/tap  to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Following Jesus is serious work. But have you ever met someone who seems to take themselves way too seriously in the process? In all their religiosity, there’s no laughter, no whimsy, no joy—just a...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Following Jesus is serious work. But have you ever met someone who seems to take themselves way too seriously in the process? In all their religiosity, there’s no laughter, no whimsy, no joy—just a rigid seriousness they assume God must clearly require for approval. Churches do this, too. Sometimes, in the name of reverence, we create environments with no room for passion and emotion. Just keep your head down and be quiet. God can't possibly want you to celebrate. Given how many times we see the word "rejoice" in our Scriptures, I've often wondered why we repress—or never even realize—the power of joy in our lives. Thankfully, joy is one of the four themes of Advent.  This week, we'll take a look at what it means to embrace one of God's greatest gifts to humanity.

The Amazing Power of Rejoicing!

Click/tap <a href= "https://www.hpumc.org/uploads/documents/Sanctuary-Sermon-Reflection-Guide-December-7-2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Got any storms in your life? Of course you do. This world is full of chaos and turbulence—unexpected waves that crash into our plans, sudden winds that shake our confidence, and silent pressures that weigh on our hearts. Sometimes that chaos rises from within us. And sometimes that chaos originates in the world around us. If only we could find some peace. Christmas reminds us that God sees our storms. God knows our chaos and cares deeply about guiding us into peace. The miracle of Christmas is not just that Christ came into the world—it’s that he came into our world with all its mess, noise, and struggle. Peace didn’t wait for the world to quiet down; peace stepped into the noise. And the good news is, peace is closer than we think. On this second Sunday of Advent, we will dive deeper into how to find that peace that is closer than we think.

<description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 14pt;"&gt;Click/tap &lt;a href= "https://www.hpumc.org/uploads/documents/Sanctuary-Sermon-Reflection-Guide-December-7-2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Got any storms in your life? Of course you do. This world is full of chaos and turbulence—unexpected waves that crash into our plans, sudden winds that shake our confidence, and silent pressures that weigh on our hearts. Sometimes that chaos rises from within us. And sometimes that chaos originates in the world around us. If only we could find some peace.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Christmas reminds us that God sees our storms. God knows our chaos and cares deeply about guiding us into peace. The miracle of Christmas is not just that Christ came &lt;em&gt;into the world&lt;/em&gt;—it’s that he came into our world with all its mess, noise, and struggle. Peace didn’t wait for the world to quiet down; peace stepped into the noise. And the good news is, peace is closer than we think. On this second Sunday of Advent, we will dive deeper into how to find that peace that is closer than we think.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Click/tap  to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Got any storms in your life? Of course you do. This world is full of chaos and turbulence—unexpected waves that crash into our plans, sudden winds that shake our confidence, and silent pressures that...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Got any storms in your life? Of course you do. This world is full of chaos and turbulence—unexpected waves that crash into our plans, sudden winds that shake our confidence, and silent pressures that weigh on our hearts. Sometimes that chaos rises from within us. And sometimes that chaos originates in the world around us. If only we could find some peace. Christmas reminds us that God sees our storms. God knows our chaos and cares deeply about guiding us into peace. The miracle of Christmas is not just that Christ came into the world—it’s that he came into our world with all its mess, noise, and struggle. Peace didn’t wait for the world to quiet down; peace stepped into the noise. And the good news is, peace is closer than we think. On this second Sunday of Advent, we will dive deeper into how to find that peace that is closer than we think.

Real Peace

Click/tap <a href= "https://www.hpumc.org/uploads/documents/Sanctuary-Sermon-Reflection-Guide-November-30-2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. As we begin this Advent season, many of us carry places in our lives that feel hidden, heavy, or dim. We don’t always name them out loud—pride, resentment, fear, exhaustion, comparison, old wounds that still ache—but they quietly shape how we see the world and how we experience God. In this sermon, we’ll explore a hope far deeper than optimism or holiday cheer. In John 1:1-9, we’re reminded that Christ is the Light that shines in every dark place, and no darkness can overcome it. If there are places in your life that feel discouraged, uncertain, or dimly lit, the hope is that this message is impactful. We’ll discover together how the light of Christ can reach even the hidden places of our hearts and bring a hope that is steady, faithful, and life-giving.

<description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 14pt;"&gt;Click/tap &lt;a href= "https://www.hpumc.org/uploads/documents/Sanctuary-Sermon-Reflection-Guide-November-30-2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;As we begin this Advent season, many of us carry places in our lives that feel hidden, heavy, or dim. We don’t always name them out loud—pride, resentment, fear, exhaustion, comparison, old wounds that still ache—but they quietly shape how we see the world and how we experience God.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;In this sermon, we’ll explore a hope far deeper than optimism or holiday cheer. In John 1:1-9, we’re reminded that Christ is the Light that shines in every dark place, and no darkness can overcome it.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;If there are places in your life that feel discouraged, uncertain, or dimly lit, the hope is that this message is impactful. We’ll discover together how the light of Christ can reach even the hidden places of our hearts and bring a hope that is steady, faithful, and life-giving.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</description>

Click/tap  to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. As we begin this Advent season, many of us carry places in our lives that feel hidden, heavy, or dim. We don’t always name them out loud—pride, resentment, fear, exhaustion, comparison, old wounds...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. As we begin this Advent season, many of us carry places in our lives that feel hidden, heavy, or dim. We don’t always name them out loud—pride, resentment, fear, exhaustion, comparison, old wounds that still ache—but they quietly shape how we see the world and how we experience God. In this sermon, we’ll explore a hope far deeper than optimism or holiday cheer. In John 1:1-9, we’re reminded that Christ is the Light that shines in every dark place, and no darkness can overcome it. If there are places in your life that feel discouraged, uncertain, or dimly lit, the hope is that this message is impactful. We’ll discover together how the light of Christ can reach even the hidden places of our hearts and bring a hope that is steady, faithful, and life-giving.  

Hope in the Hidden Places

Click/tap <a href= "https://www.hpumc.org/uploads/documents/Sanctuary-Sermon-Reflection-Guide-November-23-2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Thanksgiving is a time for abundant activity. And for many, one of the more common activities is getting together with THOSE PEOPLE. You know what I mean—THOSE PEOPLE—the ones you don't get along with, agree with, or even enjoy being around. The good news is, being around those people doesn't have to be a bad experience. In fact, Jesus gives us a pretty good model for being around people who were nothing like him. So whether it's during Thanksgiving—or any other day—if you struggle with those people, you'll want to hear this message.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 14pt;"&gt;Click/tap &lt;a href= "https://www.hpumc.org/uploads/documents/Sanctuary-Sermon-Reflection-Guide-November-23-2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Thanksgiving is a time for abundant activity. And for many, one of the more common activities is getting together with &lt;strong&gt;THOSE PEOPLE&lt;/strong&gt;. You know what I mean—&lt;strong&gt;THOSE PEOPLE&lt;/strong&gt;—the ones you don't get along with, agree with, or even enjoy being around.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The good news is, being around &lt;strong&gt;those people&lt;/strong&gt; doesn't have to be a bad experience. In fact, Jesus gives us a pretty good model for being around people who were nothing like him. So whether it's during Thanksgiving—or any other day—if you struggle with &lt;strong&gt;those people&lt;/strong&gt;, you'll want to hear this message.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Click/tap  to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Thanksgiving is a time for abundant activity. And for many, one of the more common activities is getting together with THOSE PEOPLE. You know what I mean—THOSE PEOPLE—the ones you don't get along...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Thanksgiving is a time for abundant activity. And for many, one of the more common activities is getting together with THOSE PEOPLE. You know what I mean—THOSE PEOPLE—the ones you don't get along with, agree with, or even enjoy being around. The good news is, being around those people doesn't have to be a bad experience. In fact, Jesus gives us a pretty good model for being around people who were nothing like him. So whether it's during Thanksgiving—or any other day—if you struggle with those people, you'll want to hear this message.

Thanksgiving and the People We Share It With

Join us each week for traditional worship and an inspiring message from Senior Minister Rev. Paul Rasmussen and Rev. Matt Tuggle.

HPUMC - Sanctuary Sermons (Traditional Worship)

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