You Are Not Alone, Part 5 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // February 4, 2024

Perhaps the greatest cause of our loneliness and disconnectedness is the tense political and social climate. What if there was a way to bridge differences and have civil conversations about tough issues? What would that look like and could we model that new way of being?HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps15 Practical Guidelines from Romans 12:9–211.Our love for each other will be genuine. 2.We will hate what is evil. 3.We will make goodness our bond. 4.The only competition between us will be to see who can show the other greater honor. 5.Together, we will put God first, even when we don’t feel like it. 6.We will be hopeful, not cynical. 7.We will be patient, even when our differences make things difficult.8.We will never stop praying for each other or for the world. 9.We pledge to be welcoming to strangers, people who are different from us. 10.We will not speak ill of each other; instead, we will speak words of blessing. 11.We will choose harmony with each other over arrogance. 12.We commit to being with those who are less fortunate, less privileged, and less powerful, so that we can learn humility ourselves. 13.We will not respond to evil by doing evil ourselves. We commit to the most noble actions and motivations. 14.We will have hearts of peace for each other, rather than revenge. 15.We will not overcome evil with evil, but by doing good. Mat [email protected] Questions:1. When have you had difficulty relating to a person based on partisan differences? 2. How can Christians be politically engaged, without devolving into polarizing partisanship? 3. What valuable insights have you gained about relationships throughout this worship series?