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
Transformation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:13
Rev. Chip Robertson
For Forty Days [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:02
Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Resolutions often fail because they demand an undefined, lifelong commitment; “forever” feels overwhelming. Lent, however, offers a grace-filled, 40-…
God Is the Point [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:22
Rev. Dr. Abe Smith
Thy Kingdom Come [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:45
Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Jesus offers abundant life. If you’ve been a Christian for a while, this should be a familiar concept. The only way to have an abundant life is throu…
In the Boat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:34
Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Luke 5 opens with Peter, a skilled fisherman, exhausted after a night of empty nets. It is in the midst of this frustration that Jesus steps into Pet…
The Final Four: A New Beginning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:46
Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Life is full of beginnings and endings. Most of the time, we get more excited about the former. With relationships, opportunities, careers, etc., there is a level of ex…
The Final Four: Inside Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:34
Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Have you met many shepherds lately? Seems like a dying profession. They’re out there, but they don't get much press. Which is a shame, because Jesus thought the work of…