Special Announcement & Sermon: It Is Just Beginning

Special Announcement & Sermon: It Is Just Beginning

Author: Highland Park United Methodist Church - Dallas, Texas August 16, 2026 Duration: 27:11

Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.

For many of us, the fall season brings its own sense of renewal. New schedules, routines, and rhythms create opportunities to reflect on where we are and where we want to grow.

As we begin a new school year, Philippians 1:6 reminds us that God is always at work. Long before we were aware of it, God was pursuing us through His grace, and He continues that work today. 

In the Wesleyan tradition, prevenient grace reminds us that God knew and loved us before we knew Him, justifying grace assures us of forgiveness through Jesus Christ, and sanctifying grace points to God’s ongoing work of transformation and healing in our lives. God is not finished with us, and the good work He has begun is still unfolding.

This promise is not only personal but communal. God is at work in us and among us, shaping His church and inviting us to participate in His mission. As we journey together this year, we are called to build our lives around the things that endure: faith, hope, and love. 

These virtues are both gifts of God’s grace and markers of spiritual growth. As we follow Christ together, we can trust that the God who began a good work in us will faithfully carry it to completion.


Each week, the sanctuary of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, becomes a source of spiritual reflection and grounded wisdom. This audio collection presents the traditional worship services and sermons from that sacred space. You’ll hear the thoughtful, scripturally-rooted preaching of Senior Minister Rev. Paul Rasmussen and Rev. Matt Tuggle, whose messages connect ancient faith to contemporary life with clarity and compassion. This podcast offers a consistent point of connection and contemplation, delivering the full experience of a Sunday service directly to you. It’s more than just a weekly talk; it’s an invitation into a community of faith that values tradition, deep thinking, and meaningful worship. Whether you’re a longtime member, a seeker exploring Christian thought, or someone who finds solace in structured liturgy and substantive sermons, these recordings provide a reliable rhythm of inspiration. Tune in for a moment of peace, a challenge to grow, and the enduring resonance of traditional Methodist worship, captured and shared for your journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

HPUMC - Sanctuary Sermons (Traditional Worship)
Podcast Episodes
Restored [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:52
Rev. Dr. Abe Smith | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Have you ever failed, really failed? It’s an awful feeling. Failure can leave us embarrassed, disappointed in ourselves, feeling like an imposter,…
We [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:37
Rev. Chip Robertson | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Human beings are created for connection. True life is found not in isolation but in communities shaped by grace, forgiveness, and love. We see tha…
Real Rest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:31
Rev. Dr. Abe Smith | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. What, or who, fills your tank? We’re not talking about your car. We’re talking about your soul, your spirit, your body, and your energy. What helps…
Bet Ab [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:51
Rev. Chip Robertson | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide When you think of “the Father’s house,” you may think about the children’s song talking about it as a big, big house with lots and lots of rooms, o…
The Joy of Freedom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:25
Rev. Dr. Abe Smith | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. In Hebrews 12, we are invited to “throw off everything that hinders” and “run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” keeping our eyes fixed…
Again I Say: In All These Things [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:25
Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Is there a more iconic Bible verse than Philippians 4:13? It is one of the most recogniza…
Again I Say: Take Account [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:36
Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. We're all keeping score. Naturally, we are creating a daily curated account of what our lives look like and what we tend to dwell on. Whether that is…
Again I Say: The Presence of Peace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:08
Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide When we think about peace, we tend to think that peace is the absence of problems, conflict, or worry. We tell ourselves, “I’ll finally have peace whe…
Again I Say [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:46
Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice." This Scripture, along with many other famous verses, all come from one singular chapter in…
A Living Surrender [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:58
Rev. Dr. Abe Smith | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. What does it mean to live with open hands and open hearts before God? Open hands are a posture of surrender—releasing our grip on the things we try…