The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

Rev. Dr. Kenneth Wieting, author of 'The Blessings of Weekly Communion,' joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how God's Word is different from cultural inventions or feelings in informing our vocations in marriage, what scripture commands husbands and wives to do and be, and the relationship between marriage and baptism. Read Pastor Wieting's article 'Wedding Vows: The Voice of Love' in the May issue of the Lutheran Witness. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Rev. Dr. Ross Johnson, Director of LCMS Disaster Response, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how the recent flooding in mid-Michigan has affected the communities near Midland, how the many LCMS congregations in the area have been affected, and how the Synod and communities are coming together to help in the disaster response. To learn more or donate, visit lcms.org/disaster or michigandistrict.org.

Naomi Stephens, author of 'Shadow among Sheaves,' a 19th-century retelling of the Ruth/Boaz story set during the British occupation of India, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about where to begin when writing historical fiction, fitting historical facts into a work of fiction, and the challenges of writing this particular genre. Find her book at Amazon.com or wherever books are sold. The 'Here I Write' Conference for Lutheran Writers was created by Katie Schuermann as a place for Lutheran writers, editors, authors, journalists, preachers, teachers, professionals, novices to come together and learn from each other. It was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we're overjoyed to welcome several of the speakers to our mini-conference on The Coffee Hour! Find all speakers and topics at kfuo.org/hereiwrite.

Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church and the Jesus Lutheran Church of the Deaf in Austin, Texas, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about what makes a good Bible study, resources to facilitate the study of scripture, and encouragement in Scripture to study the Bible. Find his works at Wolfmueller.co. The 'Here I Write' Conference for Lutheran Writers was created by Katie Schuermann as a place for Lutheran writers, editors, authors, journalists, preachers, teachers, professionals, novices to come together and learn from each other. It was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we're overjoyed to welcome several of the speakers to our mini-conference on The Coffee Hour! Find all speakers and topics at kfuo.org/hereiwrite.

Rev. Delwyn X. Campbell, Sr., domestic missionary and pastor of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Gary, Indiana, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the work he has been doing prior to the pandemic, how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the community of Gary, his concerns for the impoverished community around the churches, and how he is still bringing the Gospel of Jesus to those around him. Read more of his story and how to support his work at lcms.org/campbell. Learn more about the community Rev. Campbell serves at engage.lcms.org/gary-missionary-summer-2017. The Rev. Delwyn Campbell, national missionary to Gary, Ind., chats with parishioners following a Lenten service at St. John's Lutheran Church on Wednesday, April 5, 2017, in Gary. LCMS Communications/Erik M. Lunsford

Katie Schuermann, author of “He Remembers the Barren,” “He Restores My Soul,” the “Anthems of Zion” series, and mastermind of the 'Here I Write' Conference, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the idea behind the 'Here I Write' Conference, how authors can decide what kind of thing to write, and why the author-reader relationship is so important. Find Katie's writings at katieschuermann.com. The 'Here I Write' Conference for Lutheran Writers was created by Katie Schuermann as a place for Lutheran writers, editors, authors, journalists, preachers, teachers, professionals, novices to come together and learn from each other. It was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we're overjoyed to welcome several of the speakers to our mini-conference on The Coffee Hour! Find all speakers and topics at kfuo.org/hereiwrite.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how to access telehealth for mental health and what resources and providers in your area. Resources for information or how to get started: lcms.org/wellness for LCMS resources Insurance or medical sharing programs, supplemental coverage programs EAP (Concordia Plans members, look here) 211.org – find your local resources for each state / area ruralhealthinfo.org – find information for rural health. (Behavorial health: ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/telehealth/2/specific-populations/behavioral-health) nami.org/Videos/NAMI-Basics-OnDemand – National Alliance on Mental Illness. This link is for Mental Health Basics. mhanational.org/ – Mental Health America, mental health screenings hazeldenbettyford.org – substance use and treatment, other addiction treatment Search for apps va.gov and lcms.org/armedforces for veterans and military personnel Resources if you need immediate help: thehotline.org – National Domestic Violence Hotline – (800) 799−7233 or chat online crisistextline.org – Crisis Counseling via text message – text HOME to 741741 suicidepreventionlifeline.org – National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – (800) 273-8255 or chat online Hear Mental Health Mondays each Monday at 9am CT! Find all episode with the tag "Mental Health Monday." View Deaconess Heidi's Mental Health Playlist on Youtube and find all of her writings at heidigoehmann.com.

Mindy Thews, who serve the Lord in Taiwan at Concordia Middle School in ChiaYi, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how Concordia Middle School has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, how the surrounding community around has been affected, and how she is still able to share the Word of God with those around her. Read her story and how to support her work at lcms.org/thews. Find LCMS resources during the COVID-19 pandemic at lcms.org/coronavirus.

Matt and Dee Dee Wasmund, who serve the Lord in South Korea along with their daughters Lily and Olivia, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how their work has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, how the community around them has been affected, and how they are still able to share the Word of God with those around them. Read their story and how to support their work at lcms.org/wasmund. Find LCMS resources during the COVID-19 pandemic at lcms.org/coronavirus.

Rev. Sean Daenzer, LCMS Director of Worship and Chaplain for the LCMS International Center, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why Jesus' ascension into heaven is historically important, what it means for us, and how the church has celebrated this feast through the ages.

Krista and Joel Young, who serve the Lord as missionaries in Kenya, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how Krista's work has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, how the community around them has been affected, and how they are still able to share the Word of God with those around them. Read their story and how to support their work at lcms.org/young. Find LCMS resources during the COVID-19 pandemic at lcms.org/coronavirus.

Shara Osiro, who serves the Lord as communications specialist for Eastern and Southern Africa based in Kenya, along with her husband Michael, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how the community around them has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, how their lives have changed (sometimes for the better), and how they are still able to share the Word of God with those around them. Read their story and how to support their work at lcms.org/osiro.
 
 Find LCMS resources during the COVID-19 pandemic at lcms.org/coronavirus.

Rev. Mark and Stefanie Rabe, who serve the Lord as missionaries in Ethiopia at Mekane Yesus Seminary in Addis Ababa, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how the seminary has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, how the community around them has been affected, and how they are still able to share the Word of God with those around them. Read their story and how to support their work at lcms.org/rabe. Find LCMS resources during the COVID-19 pandemic at lcms.org/coronavirus.

Rev. Eric and Johanna Stinnett, who serve the Lord as missionaries in Ethiopia at Mekane Yesus Seminary in Addis Ababa, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how the seminary has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, how the community around them has been affected, and how they are still able to share the Word of God with those around them. Read their story and how to support their work at lcms.org/stinnett. Find LCMS resources during the COVID-19 pandemic at lcms.org/coronavirus.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about what telehealth is, benefits and drawbacks to utilizing telehealth for mental health services, and how to find resources and providers in your area. Resources for information or how to get started: Insurance or medical sharing programs, supplemental coverage programs EAP (Concordia Plans members, look here) 211.org - find your local resources for each state / area ruralhealthinfo.org - find information for rural health. (Behavorial health: ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/telehealth/2/specific-populations/behavioral-health) nami.org/Videos/NAMI-Basics-OnDemand - National Alliance on Mental Illness. This link is for Mental Health Basics. mhanational.org/ - Mental Health America hazeldenbettyford.org - substance use and treatment, other addiction treatment Search for apps Resources if you need immediate help: thehotline.org - National Domestic Violence Hotline - (800) 799−7233 or chat online crisistextline.org - Crisis Counseling via text message - text HOME to 741741 suicidepreventionlifeline.org - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - (800) 273-8255 or chat online Hear Mental Health Mondays each Monday at 9am CT! Find all episode with the tag "Mental Health Monday." View Deaconess Heidi's Mental Health Playlist on Youtube and find all of her writings at heidigoehmann.com.

Sam Wegner, who was supposed to shadow Ben Helge & Kim Bueltmann in Europe, and Hayden Rensner, who was supposed to shadow Krista Young & Sarah Kanoy in Africa, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the experiences they were going to have this summer, the virtual shadowing experience they just completed, and what they learned from this virtual shadowing experience. Find your opportunity to serve at servenow.lcms.org.

Julianna Shults, DCE, Program Manager with LCMS Youth Ministry, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how we usually respond to people when they experience tangible losses, how ambiguous losses are different than tangible losses, and how we can support the young people in our lives who may be hurting. Read Julianna's article on Youth E-Source at youthesource.com/2020/03/25/ambiguous-loss and a version of this article for people of all ages at blogs.lcms.org/2020/showing-christs-love-in-times-of-ambiguous-loss.

Rev. Vance and Linda Becker, who serve the Lord through as missionaries in Kenya and are currently stationed in Tanzania, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how their work has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, how the community around them has been affected, and how they are still able to share the Word of God with those around them. Read their story and how to support their work at lcms.org/becker. Find LCMS resources during the COVID-19 pandemic at lcms.org/coronavirus.

Mark and Megan Mantey, who serve the Lord through as missionaries in Uganda, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how their work has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, how the community around them has been affected, and how they are still able to share the Word of God with those around them. Read their story and how to support their work at lcms.org/mantey.
 
 Find LCMS resources during the COVID-19 pandemic at lcms.org/coronavirus.

Dr. Mark Bender, Minister of Music at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Des Peres, Missouri, and author of "Singing Christ’s Love" in the May issue of the Lutheran Witness, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the purpose of wedding music, why we should sing hymns at wedding services, and some favorite hymns and music for wedding services. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Gwen and Bob Zagore, local St. Louis gardeners, join Andy and Sarah to talk about why someone would want to start a garden, what to look for when selecting a location, and what to consider about soil and seeds.

Brenda Jank, Founder and Executive Director of Run Hard. Rest Well, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the challenges that come with finding a new normal, how to keep work and home life separated when many of us are newly working from home, and how we find rest when our usual restful places at home are no longer quiet. Learn more about Run Hard. Rest Well at runhardrestwell.org.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about some of the stressors church workers and pastors face during this time, how to take advantage of counseling available to church workers, and some ways workers can support their own mental health and the mental health of others. Hear Mental Health Mondays each Monday at 9am CT! Find all episode with the tag "Mental Health Monday." View Deaconess Heidi's Mental Health Playlist on Youtube and find all of her writings at heidigoehmann.com.

Rev. Weslie Odom, pastor of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Arlington, Texas, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the “Searching the Scriptures” feature in the May issue of the Lutheran Witness, all about wedding and Holy Matrimony. Follow along and search the Scriptures with us! Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Jasmine Bibby and Taylor Ross, Senior Students at Lutheran High School North in St. Louis, Missouri, join Andy and Sarah during Teacher Appreciation Week to talk about some highlights of their senior year at LHSN, how the last few weeks have been during the COVID-19 pandemic, their plans for next year, and how LHSN has prepared them for their futures. Learn more about LHSN at lncrusaders.org.

Jacob Martinez and Savannah Schmidt, Senior Students at Lutheran High School South in St. Louis, Missouri, join Andy and Sarah during Teacher Appreciation Week to talk about some highlights of their senior year at LHSS, how the last few weeks have been during the COVID-19 pandemic, their plans for next year, and how LHSS has prepared them for their futures. Learn more about LHSS at lslancers.org.

Sara Correnti, MS RD LD, Manager of Health and Welfare Member Wellness Products for Concordia Plan Services, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about ideas and tips for eating healthy during stay-at-home times, some things she's enjoyed cooking, and how to incorporate the whole family (including the kids) for meals and meal prep. Learn more about Concordia Plans at concordiaplans.org.

Rev. Phil Hoppe, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Finlayson and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Bruno, Minnesota, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how he has been caring for his congregation during this time of pandemic, how he's used Bible verses (aka #CoronaVerses) to bring comfort to parishioners, and how important hearing God's Word is during this time. Find these #CoronaVerses at facebook.com/peacefinlayson.

Dr. Rob Carter, senior scientist and speaker for Creation Ministries International-USA, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how DNA is helpful in understanding ancient people, examples of ancient DNA that have been discovered and studied, and how indications of ancient DNA can be reconciled with the Biblical account of creation. Dr. Carter is the presenter at the May Missouri Association for Creation monthly lecture series, "Ancient DNA vs. the Bible," online on Monday May 11, 7:00 p.m. CT. Find details on how to join this lecture via Zoom at missouricreation.org/2020/05/2020-monthly-event-lecture-series-schedule-4.

Deaconess Kim Trombley, Vice President for Religious Life with Bethesda Lutheran Communities, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about explaining COVID-19 to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, how to make the most of extra time at home, and resources from Bethesda to help families, individuals, and caregivers. Find these ideas and resources at bethesdalc.org/home-activity-center/education.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how labeling personality types can be helpful, how this labeling can be limiting, and what contentment in Christ looks like. Read about being a “contentrovert” at medishare.com/blog/on-being-a-contentrovert. Hear Mental Health Mondays each Monday at 9am CT! Find all episode with the tag “Mental Health Monday.” View Deaconess Heidi’s Mental Health Playlist on Youtube and find all of her writings at heidigoehmann.com. The Coffee Hour is underwritten by Concordia University Wisconsin. Live Uncommon. Learn more at cuw.edu.

Professor John Pless, Director of Field Education at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the value of field education in the formation of pastors, how social distancing has affected this educational component, and how this experience will help shape future pastors. Read Rev. Dr. Jacob Corzine’s blog, as mentioned in this episode, at masksofgod.wordpress.com.

Rev. Todd Kollbaum— Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Madison, Nebraska, and Director of LCMS Rural and Small Town Mission (RSTM), and Rev. Mark Triplett, pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church and St. John Lutheran Church in Rushford, Minnesota, and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Ongoing Ambassadors for Christ, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how their congregations have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, how their communities have been affected, and how they and the the community have cared for each other. Learn more about RSTM at lcms.org/rstm.

Rev. Bart Day, President and CEO of Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF), joins Andy and Sarah to talk about LCEF’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, how LCEF is taking care of borrowers, and the response of LCEF investors. To join in this response, visit lcef.org to give.

Donna Pyle, now Donna Snow, Author of Perseverance Praying through Life’s Challenges available from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about her recent travels to the Holy Land, learning Hebrew, and the LWML Bible study she will be doing on Facebook live. Find her book Perseverance: Praying through Life’s Challenges at cph.org/perseverance. Join in the Facebook Live Bible Study at facebook.com/events/3162728340485153.

Sue Nahmensen, CEO of Lutheran Elementary School Association in St. Louis, and Ella Arbeiter, a graduating eighth-grader at Green Park Lutheran School in south St. Louis County, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the Lutheran Student Christian Leader of the Year award, what it means for Ella to be selected as this year’s recipient, and how people can support students like Ella through LESA’s yearly fundraising campaigns. Read more about Ella at lesastl.org/news/green-park-lutheran-student-is-st-louiss-2020-lutheran-student-christian-leader. Learn more about supporting LESA at lesastl.org/please-help-us-2.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the reality of Zoom fatigue, why video calls are both helpful and exhausting, and how we can better process body language while on video calls. Find helpful hints at mindful.org/zoom-exhaustion-is-real-here-are-six-ways-to-find-balance-and-stay-connected and read more about why video calls tire out our brains and bodies at curtthompsonmd.com/a-body-of-work. Hear Mental Health Mondays each Monday at 9am CT! Find all episode with the tag “Mental Health Monday.” View Deaconess Heidi’s Mental Health Playlist on Youtube and find all of her writings at heidigoehmann.com.

Dr. Donald Christian, President and CEO of Concordia University Texas, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the campus community at Concordia, how the university is using the dorms to help first responders in the Austin area, and how this is part of Concordia’s mission. Read more at concordia.edu/resources/first-responders-housing.html.

Rev. Marcus Zill, Chancellor of LCMS U and host of The Student Union on KFUO Radio, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how campus ministries and campus pastors are handling this time of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, how students are staying connected, and how The Student Union podcast fits into the bigger campus ministry picture. Learn more about LCMS U and find The Student Union at kfuo.org/TheStudentUnion.

Dr. Scott Hyslop, Director of Parish Music at St Lorenz Lutheran Church, Frankenmuth, Michigan, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the hymn sing of the entire Lutheran Service Book on April 24, 2020, where this idea came from, why church music is important right now, and how to participate in the hymn sing! Find details at stlorenz.org and watch beginning at 7:30 a.m. CT / 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, April 24, 2020 at facebook.com/MusicAtStLorenz.

Rev. Dr. Kirk Clayton, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Mascoutah, Illinois, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about his article “The Defense of the Resurrection” in the April 2020 issue of the Lutheran Witness, including why the bodily resurrection of Jesus is so difficult for the world to believe, the foundation of skeptical scholars and “documentaries” about the resurrection of Jesus, and how we can give a defense of our faith like Paul did in the face of skeptics. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, Minnesota, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how our schedules and routines have been displaced during the COVID-19 pandemic, how much of our lives is governed by external things that may have little spiritual value, and what God’s Word teaches us about ordering our days and seasons.

Rev. Chris Hull, senior pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Tomball, Texas, and Lynea Sander, music director and organist at Zion Lutheran Church in Tomball, Texas, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected how their vocations in the church, how they’ve used hymns and hymn sings to stay connected to their congregation, and insights on two Easter hymns: LSB 467 “Awake, my heart, with gladness” and LSB 487 “Come, you faithful, raise the strain.”

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the JOMO (the joy of missing out), including how to find that joy in times of “missing out,” how we find joy in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd article gifts, and how we focus on Jesus during these times. Hear Mental Health Mondays each Monday at 9am CT! Find all episode with the tag “Mental Health Monday.” View Deaconess Heidi’s Mental Health Playlist on Youtube and find all of her writings at heidigoehmann.com.

Jennifer Hamer, Chaplain’s Wife, ACE Group Fitness certified, Schwinn Indoor Cycle Certified, and Fitness Instructor at Camp Pendleton, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about motivation to stay fit during this time of social distancing, how to use equipment around the house, and how to incorporate the whole family into the routine.

Rev. Roy Askins, managing editor of the Lutheran Witness, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the theme of the April issue of the LW, the topics that are discussed in this issue, and a new feature or two of this issue. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

DCE Julianna Shults, Program Manager, and Rev. Mark Kiessling, Director of Youth Ministry for the LCMS, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the End Goals podcast from LCMS Youth Ministry, the topics covered on this podcast and who it would be for, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected youth ministry across the LCMS. Find the End Goals podcast at kfuo.org/endgoals or wherever you get your podcasts.

Melissa Bergholt, Principal at Word of Life Lutheran School in St. Louis, Missouri, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected her vocation as principal, how teachers are connecting to students and parents, and how she and her family are working on balancing the work-from-home situation.

Phillip Magness, Music Specialist for West and Central Africa with the LCMS Office of International Mission, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about his recent teaching trip to West and Central Africa, the things he was teaching during this time, and the people he was able to make music with during his time there. Magnificat and Great Commission text heard during this program: Permission for use granted by the Comité liturgique francophone of the Lutheran Church-Canada.

Rev. Sean Daenzer, LCMS Director of Worship and International Center Chaplain, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how memorizing Scripture is helpful to us, ways to make memorizing verses a little easier, and the challenge from the LCMS for her members to learn Scripture verses each week. Read the Reporter article at blogs.lcms.org/2020/synod-chaplain-issues-scripture-memory-challenge and find the current challenge verse at lcms.org/memoryverse.