The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about happiness and joy, including whether God cares about happiness or only joy, how we distinguish between the two, and how we cultivate happiness and joy in our lives. 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.

We’re celebrating National Lutheran Schools Week on The Coffee Hour! Dr. Maurice Boyer, Director of the American Kantorei and Professor of Music at Concordia University Chicago, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the importance of music in education, how he inspires future music teachers to be the best teachers they can be, and how music inspires students at Concordia Chicago. Learn about the American Kantorei at americankantorei.org and the Music Department at Concordia Chicago at cuchicago.edu/music. Learn more about National Lutheran Schools Week at lcms.org/lutheranschoolsweek.

Dr. Jerrode Marsh from St. Paul’s Lutheran High School in Concordia, Missouri, joins Andy to talk about the role choral music plays in Lutheran education, what students learn in choir at the high school level, and a preview of the Singing Saints Spring tour. Learn more about St. Paul’s Lutheran High School at stpaulsconcordia.org.

We’re celebrating National Lutheran Schools Week on The Coffee Hour! Faculty and students from Immanuel Lutheran School in Washington, Missouri, including Megan, Olivia, Ben, Aidan, and principal Mr. Nick Hopfensperger, join Andy and Sarah to talk about why they love their school, when they learn about Jesus in school, and the value of Lutheran education for faculty, students, and families. Learn more about National Lutheran Schools Week at lcms.org/lutheranschoolsweek.

Rev. Merritt Demski, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Illinois, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about The Mandalorian, and action/action/adventure/sci-fi series on Disney+, including The Mandalorian is connected to the Star Wars universe, who the Mandalorian is, and how this show might be useful in witness conversations. Learn more at imdb.com/title/tt8111088 and disneyplusoriginals.disney.com/show/the-mandalorian.

We’re celebrating National Lutheran Schools Week on The Coffee Hour! Faculty and students from St. Paul Lutheran School in Hamel, Illinois, including Eva Maria, Johnny, Alayna, and Principal Mrs. Kate Thoelke, join Andy and Sarah to talk about why they love their school, when they learn about Jesus in school, and the value of Lutheran education for faculty, students, and families. Learn more about National Lutheran Schools Week at lcms.org/lutheranschoolsweek.

Patti Garibay, Executive Director of American Heritage Girls (AHG), joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the AHG Respect Life Patch Program, the AHG troops that attended the 2020 March for Life, and exciting upcoming events for AHG. Learn more about the American Heritage Girls and how to charter a troop in your area at americanheritagegirls.org.

We’re celebrating National Lutheran Schools Week on The Coffee Hour! Faculty and students from Word of Life Lutheran School in St. Louis, including Esther, Abraham, Matthew, Chloe, and Mrs. Sarah Maxfield, join Andy and Sarah to talk about why they love their school, when they learn about Jesus in school, and the value of Lutheran education for faculty, students, and families. Learn more about National Lutheran Schools Week at lcms.org/lutheranschoolsweek.

Bruce Carvell, PhD, Artistic Director of the Collegium Vocale of St. Louis, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the unique nature of the Collegium Vocale baroque ensemble, the history surrounding J.S. Bach and Christoph Graupner in Leipzig, and the upcoming Collegium Vocale concert on Sunday, February 2, at 3:00pm at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in St. Louis. Find more details at collegiumvocaleofsaintlouis.org.

Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LCMS, and Rev. Michael Salemink, Executive Director of Lutherans for Life, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the atmosphere and general message of the national March for Life on January 24 in Washington, D.C., the message of Lutherans at the March for Life, and the other organizations and groups that were represented. Learn more about Lutherans for Life at lutheransforlife.org. Find interview from the LCMS at the March for Life at facebook.com/TheLCMS.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the relationship between fear and mystery, distinctions to make between fear, anxiety, and worry, and how we can know to ask for help with our fear. 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. David Lewis—Assistant Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary St. Louis, Rev. Dr. Michael Ziegler—Speaker of the Lutheran Hour, and Erika Bennett—Director of Continuing Education for Concordia Seminary St. Louis, join Andy and Sarah at the First Annual Faith & Film Festival at Concordia Seminary St. Louis to talk about why we watch film, what makes film a unique medium for analysis and sharing our faith, and what participants are experiencing. Learn more at csl.edu/faith-and-film.

Anna Young, Founder of the Davidson County Students for Life of America chapter, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why she wanted to start a Students for Life of America chapter at her public high school, the experiences of both support and resistance from the people around her, and how this experience and the March for Life have shaped her future. Read her story in the LCMS Reporter at blogs.lcms.org/2020/faith-in-the-public-square-lcms-youth-starts-pro-life-group-at-her-public-high-school. Learn more about Students for Life of America at studentsforlife.org.

Linda Dehn, Lutheran Educator with St. Mark’s Lutheran Church & School in Eureka, Missouri, and Brenda Kimberlin, Lutheran Elementary School Association in St. Louis, Missouri, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the value of Lutheran education, how the Lutheran school community makes a difference in families’ lives, and how to visit a Lutheran school in your area. Learn more at lesastl.org.

Nikki Kueck, Administrator of Faith Lutheran High School of Central Texas in Warda, Texas, and Ruth Meyer, author of The Sola Series available at ruthmeyerbooks.com, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the 2nd Annual Texas Lutheran Writer’s Round Up, including the speakers/authors who will be attneding this year, what makes this event so unique, and the experience that students and all attendees will have. Learn more at facebook.com/faithlhscentraltx and faithlutheranhighschool.com.

Julianna Shults, DCE, Program Manager for Youth Ministry for the LCMS Office of National Mission, and Rev. Mark Kiessling, Director of Youth Ministry for the LCMS Office of National Mission, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the new book from LCMS Youth Ministry “Relationships Matter,” including what prompted the research on the millennial generation, how this research helps church workers or parents who are concerned about this generation, and how this research can be applied in real life situations to benefit young people and the church. Find your copy for no cost at cph.org/p-34082-relationships-count-engaging-retaining-millennials.aspx. Find Youth Ministry resources at youthesource.com and find the End Goals podcast at kfuo.org/endgoals.

Rev. Dr. Dien Ashley Taylor, pastor of Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church in The Bronx, New York, and First vice president of the LCMS Atlantic District, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church reachs and servse the diverse Bronx community, what he’ll be sharing at the Concordia University Nebraska celebration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and why it’s important to remember his work today. Read about this celebration at cune.edu/news/rev-dr-dien-ashley-taylor-present-part-martin-luther-king-jr-celebration. Learn more about Redeemer in The Bronx at redeemerlutheranbronx.org.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about sadness, including removing the shame of sadness in our positivity culture, the difference between the emotion of sadness and clinic depression, and how we can help our neighbors who are struggling with sadness. 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. Bernard Bull, President of Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont, joins Andy to talk about the role of goals setting in our Christian vocations, how we approach it, and why it’s beneficial in our daily lives.

Dr. Joel Oesch, Director of the Graduate Programs in Theology at Christ College, Concordia University, and Executive Director of Crosswise Institute, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the creation of Crosswise Institute, what high school students learn during this institute, and how this immersive and challenging learning environment benefits them as young people. Learn more about Crosswise, including this year’s program June 21-25, at cui.edu/crosswise.

Dr. Danny Faulkner— Researcher, author, and speaker for Answers in Genesis, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about design in the astronomical realm, the speed of light and its relationship to a young earth, and different views of cosmology. Hear these presentations and more at the upcoming Gateway Creation Conference, April 3-4 at The Rock Church of St. Louis’s Ballwin campus. Learn more and register at creationconf.com.

Dr. Jackquelyn Haws Veith, Executive Director of Educational Certification for the Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education (CCLE), joins Andy and Sarah to talk about CCLE’s student contests, including how these contests fit into a student’s education, the theme for this year’s essay contest, and how analytical thinking required for contests benefit the student. Find details for entry at ccle.org/2020-student-contests.

Rev. Robert Zagore, Executive Director of the LCMS Office of National Mission, and Rev. Dr. Mark Wood, director of LCMS Witness & Outreach Ministry and director of the LCMS Revitalization initiative, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the backstory of the Making Disciples for Life initiative, how this initiative will help our LCMS church body work together more effectively, and details for the next conference in Fort Wayne, April 16-18, 2020. Learn more at lcms.org.

Debbie Larson, President of the LWML, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the LWML, her story of becoming involved in the LWML, and the incredible work the LWML does to support the mission and ministry of the church at large. Learn more at lwml.org.

Kevin Hildebrand, Kantor at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, and Matt Machemer, Associate Kantor at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the CTSFW Kantorei, the role that a choral group like the Kantorei plays in pastoral formation, and how the Kantorei serves the church at large. Learn more at ctsfw.edu/choirs.

Rev. Michael Salemink, Executive Director of Mission and Ministry with Lutherans for Life, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about Life Sunday 2020 resources available from Lutherans for Life, the upcoming activities surrounding the March for Life in Washington, D.C., and the Regional Lutherans for Life Conferences happening this year. Find details and resources at lutheransforlife.org.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about emotions of power, agency, and anger, including what makes us feel safe or empowered vesus disempowered, how the context of these emotions affects how we interact with them, and the relationship of anger to safety. 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. James Neuendorf, serving the Lord as missionary to Puerto Rico along with his wife Deaconess Christel, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the damage to the area where he lives and works in Puerto Rico, the needs that he and Christel are able to meet, and the partnerships and relationships they have cultivated with the grace of God in order to care for the people who are suffering. Follow the story on their Facebook page at facebook.com/sendjamesandchristel and read more at blogs.lcms.org/2020/puerto-rico-hit-by-largest-earthquake-in-100-years. Learn more about the Neuendorfs and their work in Puerto Rico at lcms.org/neuendorf.

Rev. Heath Curtis, Coordinator of Stewardship with the LCMS, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how fear plays a role in stewardship, how we generally understand stewardship, and how it connects firmly with our vocations in Christ. Find resources from the LCMS on stewardship at lcms.org/stewardship.

Rev. Craig Muehler, Director of LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the needs of military connected families in the days ahead, how we can be supportive of these families, and how we can pray for our troops and chaplains. Learn more about LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces at lcms.org/armedforces. Interested in becoming a chaplain? Contact Chaplain Muehler at [email protected].

Rev. Kevin Robson, Chief Mission Officer for the LCMS and presenter at the January 2020 Making Disciples for Life conference, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the current challenges facing the church today, how the LCMS serves people around the world, and how we anticipate serving people in the future. Learn more at lcms.org.

Stephenie Hovland— educator, speaker and member of the Lutherans for Life National Board of Directors, joins Andy to talk about instilling life values in children, how parents can talk about life issues with their children of any age, and how different ages process life issues in different ways. Read her article at lutheransforlife.org/article/tips-for-instilling-life-values-in-children.

Rev. Delwyn Campbell, Domestic Missionary in Gary, Indiana, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the work being done in Gary, Indiana, including what the community of Gary looks like today, the legacy of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the work being done in the community through the church. Follow Pastor Campbell’s work at facebook.com/MissionGI and follow St. John’s Lutheran Church at facebook.com/LutheranStJohnGaryIN.

Deaconess Shaina Wurdeman, deaconess admission counselor with Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, joins Andy to talk about her article in the January 2020 edition of the Lutheran Witness, including our natural response when someone sins against us, how some people can be challenging to love, and how we can care for these people in our lives. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Rev. Andrew Preus, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in McGregor and Trinity Lutheran Church in Guttenberg, Iowa, joins Andy to talk about his article in the January edition of the Lutheran Witness all about grace, including what is significant about different denominations’ views of grace, justification, and sanctification. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Meghan Schultz, owner of Red Letter Art & Design and author of “Chrismons: Signs and Symbols Worth Studying” in the December Lutheran Witness, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the history of Chrismons, some common designs we may see, and the significance of their designs. Read Meghan’s article in the December LW at blogs.lcms.org/2019/chrismons-signs-and-symbols-worth-studying. Find Red Letter Art & Design at etsy.com/shop/RedLetterArtDesign and facebook.com/redletterlutheran. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about what happens when we have too much to do during the holidays, the benefits of simplicity but also excitement and energetic celebration, knowing and identifying what we need versus what people want from us, and the sacred practice of saying yes and no. 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. Jonathan Bakker, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the themes we hear about in 1 and 3 year lectionary for the 4th Sunday in Advent, the rich texts of the collect and introit for the day, and the hymn of the day we’ll get to sing. Find more about Lutheran lectionaries and hymns at lcms.org/worship.

Rev. Clark Schultz, author of 5-Minute Bible Studies for Teens available from Northwestern Publishing House, and pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (WELS) in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why it’s important for teens to have a biblical worldview, what he wants teens to learn from saints or “heroes” of the Bible, and how this book can be used by individuals and families. Find 5-Minute Bible Studies for Teens at online.nph.net/5-minute-bible-studies-for-teens.html.

Sharon Bollinger, Director of Customer Relations and Strategy with Lutheran Church Extension Fund, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the importance of investors to the mission of LCEF, how LCEF benefits the church as a whole, and ways for people to get involved with LCEF. For more information, visit lcef.org.

Dr. Kevin Armbrust, Interim Managing Editor of the Lutheran Witness, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the December 2019 edition of LW, including the theme of how we experience arts that point us to Jesus, articles about myths regarding Christmas hymns, why we have Chrismons on our trees, and how liturgical art tells the Gospel. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Mary Schmidt, Manager of Development for KFUO Radio, joins Andy and Sarah to thank our donors for their generous support during this year and encourage new donors to consider making a gift to KFUO Radio. Learn more about how you can support KFUO Radio at kfuo.org/give.

Mona Furstenau, with Bethesda Lutheran Communities, joins Andy to talk about tips for thriving during this holiday season as a mom of an awesome kid with special needs. Learn more about Bethesda at bethesdalc.org.

Phillip Magness, Music Specialist for West and Central Africa with the LCMS Office of International Mission, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how he chooses the hymnody he teaches to his students in Africa, how cultural influence is significant in the music of the church, and how his students take what he teaches and makes it their own. Read more about Phillip and how to support his work at lcms.org/magness.

Shelly Carlson— LCMS Servant Event Committee, Craig Bertram—Project Coordinator with Heart of a Servant, and Patti Jordan— Project Coordinator with Servants in the City, join Andy to talk about what a Servant Event is, the needs of each of their communities, and how a Servant Event meets those needs. Learn more and find your Servant Event at servantevents.lcms.org.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about loss and life experience stressors during the holidays, including coping with grief, loneliness, and the mental weight of reflection during the holidays. 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. Matt Heise, Executive Director for the Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF), joins Andy and Sarah to share stories from his visits to countries around the world, including Finland, Germany, and Thailand. Learn more about LHF’s work around the world at lhfmissions.org.

Rev. James and Angela Sharp, who serve as LCMS missionaries in Uruguay, join Andy and Sarah to talk about their work in Uruguay, the uniqueness of the community where they serve, and how they share the Gospel among the people they serve. Read their story and how to support their work at lcms.org/sharp.

Rev. Tyrel Bramwell, pastor of St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ferndale, California, and author of several books available at tyrelbramwell.com, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the themes we hear about in 1 and 3 year lectionary for the 3rd Sunday in Advent, the unique meaning of “Gaudete” Sunday, and the hymn of the day we’ll get to sing. Find more about Lutheran lectionaries and hymns at lcms.org/worship.

Rev. Robert Zagore, Executive Director of the LCMS Office of National Mission, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the vast expanse of how the Office of National Mission serves synod-wide, how the new Internet Resource Center will serve those who access it, and the upcoming Making Disciples for Life conferences. Learn more and register for the conference at lcms.org.