The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

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.

Kelly Schumacher, liturgical artist with Agnus Dei Liturgical Arts, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the tradition of sending Christmas cards, how we share the Gospel through these cards, and the cards Kelly has available through Agnus Dei Liturgical Arts. See her artwork at AgnusDeiArts.com.

Rev. James Thomas, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church & School in Orchard Farm (St Charles), Missouri, which is KFUO Radio’s Church of the Week, joins Andy and Sarah to share some history of Trinity Lutheran Church & School, how the school is a key part of their ministry to St. Charles, and special events going on at Trinity. Learn more about Trinity at trinityorchardfarm.com and learn how your church can become a Church of the Week at kfuo.org/partner-with-us.

Randy Ronning— LCMS Servant Event Committee, Deanna Cheadle—Project Coordinator with TODAY in Appalachia, Andrea Vest—Community Life Leader with Riches in Richmond, and Terry Yahr— Community Life Leader with TODAY in Appalachia, 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 the holidays and mental health. In part 2 of 4, they discuss people and relationship stressors, including who we spending time with, the impact of family dynamics and expectations, and what kind of decompression do we need. 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.

Matt Machemer, associate kantor at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about 5 distinct themes in Advent hymnody and a few samples of hymns where these themes shine through. These themes and hymns are: Old Testament Parallels – LSB 352 Jesus as King – LSB 339 The Comings of Advent – LSB 353 Judgement and End Times – LSB 336 Christian Hope – LSB 342

Rev. Thomas Brinkley, Short-Term Volunteer leading a team to Puerto Rico and associate pastor of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Esko, Minnesota, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about his previous experience serving on the mission field, the community where his team served in Puerto Rico, and the wonderful experiences and opportunities his team had to share the love of Christ with those they served. Find your opportunity to serve at servenow.lcms.org.

Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the themes we hear about in 1 and 3 year lectionary for the 2nd Sunday in Advent, the wonderful “Stir Up” collect for this Sunday, and the hymns of the day we’ll get to sing. Find more about Lutheran lectionaries and hymns at lcms.org/worship.

Philip Magness, Director of Sanctuary Worship with Concordia Lutheran Church in Kirkwood, Missouri, and also Music Specialist Missionary in West and Central Africa, and Cheryl Magness, Managing Editor for Reporter Online with LCMS Communications, join Andy and Sarah and The Coffee Hour Choir for an episode of caroling and stories! Hear from the choir members about their favorite caroling memories and why caroling can be a great activity to do as a family or with friends. Watch the caroling on Facebook Live!

Dr. Mark Bender, Minister of Music at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Des Peres, Missouri, and Matthew Gerhardt, Assistant Minister of Music at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Des Peres, Missouri, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the upcoming “Service of Sacred Music for the Time of Christmas” on December 7 & 8, including the various musical selections. Learn more about Music at St. Paul’s at stpaulsdesperes.org/music. Find the musical selections from this episode on YouTube. “For Unto Us” (Handel-Messiah): youtu.be/MS3vpAWW2Zc “Stay With Us” (Egil Hovland): youtu.be/bRQfVEDD46E “Hodie” (Heinrich Schuetz): youtu.be/gf6p2kMy1wo “Where Shepherds Lately Knelt” (Carl Schalk): youtu.be/nP4N8IiTtt4 “Dearest Lord, Thee Will I Cherish” (J.S. Bach): youtu.be/qMiQD0VEgK8 An Advent Processional (Donald Pearson): youtu.be/qXGc9PhcJPA

Linda Gage— LCMS Servant Event Committee, Mary Bates—Project Coordinator, HARP, for Making Disciples Servant Event, and Bethany Mrosko— Work Director with Camp Restore Detroit, 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 the holidays and mental health. In part 1 of 4, they discuss environmental stressors, including where we put ourselves and how that impacts us, sensory input, and how we deal with these extra stressors 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.

Mrs. Janet Landgraf, Kindergarten Teacher at St. Mark’s Lutheran School in Eureka, Missouri, talks with Andy about kindergarten readiness, including how early stages of writing impact reading and practical steps parents can take at home with their preschoolers to prepare for kindergarten. This is a rebroadcast from February 14, 2018.

Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard, pastor of St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota, and author of Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how we can have conversations about the meaning of Advent with friends from different liturgical traditions who may not understand why we celebrate Advent. This is a rebroadcast from December 12, 2018.

Rev. Dr. Matt Richard, now pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota, joins Sarah and guest host Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LCMS, to talk about how Lutherans can talk about the church, faith, and what we believe to those who have come to Lutheranism from American Evangelicalism. This is a rebroadcast from March 13, 2018.

Rev. Mark Birkholz, pastor of Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oak Lawn, Illinois, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about his interest in bird watching, how to get started in bird watching, and how bird watching gives him an appreciation for our Creator. This is a rebroadcast from January 30, 2019.

Rev. Merritt Demski, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Illinois, joins Sarah to share Advent traditions in his home, the proper place of Thanksgiving in the church, the role of thankfulness in the Christian life, and being content in the midst of all the sales!

Rev. Dr. Ryan Tinetti, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Arcadia, Michigan, joins Sarah to talk about the themes we hear about in 1 and 3 year lectionary for the 1st Sunday in Advent, the wonderful “Stir Up” collect for this Sunday, and the hymn of the day we’ll get to sing. Find more about Lutheran lectionaries and hymns at lcms.org/worship.

Heather Smith, Classical Education Advocate, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how parents and teachers can can train children up in the way they should go, not necessarily catering to their desires but bringing them up faithfully in Christ. This is a rebroadcast from January 26, 2018.

Rev. Christopher Thoma, pastor of Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hartland, Michigan, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how we make peace with affliction and how we can see God’s work in our lives. Find Pastor Thoma’s books Type One Confessional and Ten Ways to Kill a Pastor at GrailQuestBooks.com. This is a rebroadcast from April 17, 2018.

Leah Sallach— LCMS Servant Event Committee, and “Vine” Casey Carlson and “Sparky” John Hemenway— Servant Event Leaders with Caring for Camp and Community at Camp Wartburg in Waterloo, IL, 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 to talk about more listener questions, including what Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is, how you can know if your feelings of anxiety or depression should require professional help, and whether there’s a difference between a mental illness and living a psychologically toxic lifestyle. 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.