The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

Rev. Mark Birkholz, pastor of Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oak Lawn, Illinois, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why learning some words in Biblical (Koine) Greek can be very useful for study, how Biblical Greek is different than Greek today, and what attendees will come away with after attending his seminary on March 9 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Find details and register at facebook.com/events/1332535456887630, and you can also send an email to Pastor Birkholz at [email protected] to register.

Luke Vandercar, Men’s Gathering organizer, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the fantastic opportunities for men to gather together and study scripture, learn about real and true masculinity with Rev. Jeff Hemmer, bond over (maybe slightly dangerous) physical activities, have opportunities to give back, and eat lots of food at the annual Men's Gathering. Find Pastor Hemmer's book at books.cph.org/manup. The gathering is April 5-7 at Lakeview Villages in Seymour, Indiana. Find details and register at mensgathering.us.

Rev. Dr. Lee Hagan, President of the Missouri District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about family ministry, why it’s important to support the family in Christian vocation, and an upcoming family ministry conference opportunity for congregations. The “Tell the Next Generation: Family Ministry Conference” happens March 9 at Zion Lutheran Church in St. Charles, Missouri. Find details and register at mo.lcms.org/event/2019-family-ministry-conference/?event_date=2019-03-09.

Rev. Dr. Kent Burreson, Louis A. Fincke and Anna B. Shine Professor of Systematic Theology and Dean of the Chapel at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the history and customs for Ash Wednesday and where we have inherited our customs from.

Katie Schuermann, author of books available from Concordia Publishing House and Emmanuel Press, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about a writing contest during the season of Lent presented by the team at He Remembers the Barren and sponsored by Emmanuel Press. All entries must be submitted via email to [email protected] by noon on March 25, 2019, to be considered. Find contest details and more information at heremembersthebarren.com.

Katie Schuermann, author of books available from Concordia Publishing House and Emmanuel Press, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the process of writing, what is important in the writing process, and her biggest joy of being a writer. Find her books at katieschuermann.com/books.

Sarah Harms, serving on behalf of the LCMS in eastern Europe, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about her experiences in the Czech Republic and what she’s looking forward to in her next call.

Rev. Dr. John Sias, Secretary of the LCMS, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the process and importance of registering voters for the synod presidential election in June 2019. Voter registrations must be received by March 24, 2019. If your congregation misplaced your voter registration form, send a message to [email protected]. Find more information at lcms.org/convention/president-election.

Sara Correnti, MS RD LD, Health and Wellness Educator with Concordia Plan Services, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why the not-so-healthy stuff always tastes so good, tips for making favorite meals into heart-healthy meals, and a few healthy recipes that are guaranteed to also be delicious. Download a printer-friendly version of these recipes at kfuo.org/2019/02/22/ch-022219-delicious-and-heart-healthy-food.

Rev. Craig Muehler, Director of LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the necessity for faithful LCMS chaplains in the Armed Forces, how congregations can observe Armed Forces Sunday, and the resources available for congregations at blogs.lcms.org/2019/armed-forces-sunday-resources-available-for-congregations. Learn more about LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces at lcms.org/armedforces.

Rev. Bob Zagore, Executive Director of the LCMS Office of National Mission, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about who God says is our neighbor, how difficult it often is to serve those closest to us, and how we can serve others. Read Rev. Zagore’s article in the print or online February edition of the Lutheran Witness at blogs.lcms.org/2019/who-is-my-neighbor. View online articles in theLW at witness.lcms.org, and subscribe to the LW at cph.org/witness. Find more author interviews at kfuo.org/witness.

Julianna Shults, Program Manager for Lutheran Young Adult Corps with the LCMS Office of National Mission, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the upcoming opportunities for young adults to serve with LYAC, including feedback from past participants, where participants can serve, and how valuable this experience is for past participants. Learn more and apply at lcms.org/yacorps. Applications for this round are due March 1st!

Deaconess Heidi Sias with Lutheran Friends of the Deaf, a Mill Neck Organization, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the unique joys and challenges of Deaf ministry, resources that Lutheran Friends of the Deaf is creating, and great opportunities to learn more about Deaf ministry at Church Interpreter Training Institute. Find these resources and learn more about Deaf ministry at lutheranfriendsofthedeaf.org. Follow them on social at facebook.com/LutheranFriendsoftheDeaf, twitter.com/Lutheran_Deaf, and instagram.com/lutheranfriendsdeaf. **This episode of The Coffee Hour will be available as a printed transcript soon. Stay tuned! Thanks to our wonderful LCMS Volunteers for their support of this transcription.**

Today on The Coffee Hour, guests remember their time with Professor Charles Froehlich, Instructor of Biblical Greek at Concordia University Chicago, who recently went to be with the Lord. Rev. Charles Henrickson, pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Bonne Terre, Missouri, shares stories of Professor Froehlich in class and also gives insights into why studying biblical languages is so important to church vocations. Rev. Mark Birkholz, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Oaklawn, Illinois, shares some historical context of Professor Froehlich and also his experiences with Professor in classes and his one-on-one honors project. Melanie Sorenson shares her profound experiences with Professor Froehlich and his caring nature toward her and her husband. Rev. Philip Hoppe, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Finlayson, Minnesota, shares his memories of classes with Professor Froehlich, and Andy shares a reflection from Rev. Martin R. Noland, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in San Mateo, California. Read his obituary at nidnews.org/called-to-glory-rev-charles-donald-froehlich.

Mrs. Nikki Kueck— Administrator for Faith Lutheran High School of Central Texas in Warda, Texas, and Ruth Meyer— author, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the importance of writing in their own lives and the lives of the students at Faith Lutheran High School, and also to share information about the upcoming Texas Lutheran Writers Round Up happening on March 8 at FLHS. Find registration and event details at facebook.com/events/379206619577180, and learn more about FLHS at faithlutheranhighschool.com.

Dr. Jerrode Baker Marsh, Director of Music at Saint Paul Lutheran High School in Concordia, Missouri, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why singing in choir is so important for everyone, especially junior high students, and also the upcoming “Sing at St. Paul!” event happening on March 30th at Saint Paul Lutheran High School. Find event fliers and registration information at splhs.org/events, or contact Dr. Marsh at [email protected] or 816-605-5173.

Julianna Shults, DCE— program manager for Lutheran Young Adult Corps for the LCMS Office of National Mission, Rev. Mark Kiessling— Director of Youth Ministry for the LCMS Office of National Mission, and Ryan Curnutt— Senior Research Analyst for LCMS Research Services, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the three phases of study for the Young Adult Research, what insights came from the focus groups (final stage), and how parents and church leaders can use this research to help their ministries to young adults. Read more about the research process at blogs.lcms.org/2019/youth-ministry-wraps-up-multi-year-research-project-on-young-adult-retention and read the research findings and resources at youthesource.com/2018/06/04/lcms-young-adult-research.

Heather Smith, educator and author, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the love story of Martin and Katie Luther, the circumstances around their marriage, and what we can learn from them about our own vocations in marriage.

Aaron Nielsen with LCMS Disaster Response joins Andy and Sarah to share some of his insights into quick cooking, especially ways to make a dish fancier than usual, some staple items to have on hand, and the quickest way to make a meal.

Mark and Megan Mantey, who serve the Lord as missionaries in Uganda, join Andy and Sarah to talk about their work with the Lutheran Church of Uganda. Mark serves as a project manager for the LCU seminary, and Megan serves as an instructor of Christian education and counselings. Hear their wonderful stories and then learn more about them at lcms.org/mantey, and then follow their on-going journey at facebook.com/MissionMindedManteys.

Rev. Jeffery Hemmer, Pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church in Fairview Heights, Illinois, and author of Behold the Man! Lenten Devotions from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why daily devotions are helpful during Lent, what we’ll find in Behold the Man, and why he put such a strong emphasis on the human attributes of Jesus. Find your copy of this Lenten Devotional as well as other Behold the Man resources at cph.org/p-32396-behold-the-man-daily-devotions-for-lent-and-easter.aspx.

Kelly Schumacher of Agnus Dei Liturgical Arts joins Andy and Sarah to talk about her recent short-term mission to the Dominican Republic, including the artwork she was commissioned to create, the opportunities she had while she was there, and some of her favorite experiences. Learn more and find her art at agnusdeiarts.com. View a few photos from the LCMS Missions in Latin American & Caribbean Facebook page: facebook.com/LCMSLAC, and see the full progression of this artwork plus more stories about Kelly’s time in the DR on her page facebook.com/agnusdeiarts.

Brenda Jank— founder of Run Hard, Rest Well, wife, mother of five, and author of God’s Gift of Family from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about her how her family was an inspiration for her new book from CPH, the joys of God’s gift of family, and what she’s learned about motherhood that she wants to share in this book. Find your copy of God’s Gift of Family at cph.org/p-32564-gods-gift-of-family.aspx. Learn more about Joshua’s story and Red Diamond Days at reddiamonddays.com.

Rev. Derek Wolter, chaplain at Lutheran Home & Harwood Place in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and author of “More Than a Nicety” in the February Lutheran Witness, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about what it means to be a chaplain in a residental care community setting, how he describes his work to others, and what it means to share Jesus with people who need to hear about Him. Read stories online at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Kaye Wolff, vice-president of Special Focus Ministries with the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, and Amy Gerdts, Coordinator of Rural and Small Town Mission with the LCMS Office of National Mission, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the upcoming RSTM webinar “Reaching Young Women: LWML” on Thursday, February 21, from 1 to 2 p.m. CT, given by Kaye Wolff. Kaye and Amy discuss what young women are interested in, how churches can reach them, and how these webinars benefit churches. Learn more about LWML Young Women at lwml.org/young-women and facebook.com/LWMLYoungWomen. Learn about RSTM webinars at lcms.org/rstm and attend this one on 2/21 at anymeeting.com/lcmsrstm1.

Gail Pawlitz, author of a new children’s book available from Concordia Publishing House, “Waiting in Wonder for Easter,” joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the premise behind the book, how families can use the book, and what children will learn and think about as they read through these devotions. Find your copy at cph.org/WaitingInWonder.

Rev. William Weedon, Director of Worship for the LCMS and author of a new children’s book from Concordia Publishing House “See My Savior’s Hands,” joins Andy and Sarah to talk about this book, the inspiration for writing the text, and what why talking about the incarnation with children is very important. Find the book at cph.org/SaviorsHands.

Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of LCMS Church Planting, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the launch of the new Mission Field USA: Church Planting podcast, including what Mission Field USA is, why church planting is an engaging topic, and a sneak peek of what you’ll hear. Find church planting resources at lcms.org/churchplanting and find the new podcast on our website at kfuo.org/category/mission-field-usa. You can also subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or TuneIn. If you’re interested in learning more about church planting resources, you can sign up to receive email notifications of new podcast releases and other church-planting ministry news. Registration only requires your email address, name and zip code. Check the “Church Planting” option on the form. Sign up at mailchi.mp/lcms/resources.

Scholars Austin, Ella, and Peter, along with Principal Kate Thoelke of Saint Paul Lutheran School in Hamel, Illinois, join Andy and Sarah to talk about their school and what they love about it during National Lutheran Schools Week. Learn more about St. Paul Hamel at school.stpaulhamel.org. Learn about National Lutheran Schools Week festivities at lcms.org/lutheranschoolsweek.

Mr. Alan Freeman, Assistant to the President of the Missouri District of Lutheran Church Missouri Synod: Schools, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the legacy of Lutheran education, specifically early childhood education, in Missouri, and the details of the upcoming Missouri District Early Childhood Conference on March 2, 2019. Learn more and register at mo.lcms.org/event/early-childhood-directors-conference/?event_date=2019-03-02.

Ryan and Logann Edinger, young church musicians in the St. Louis area, and Dr. Mark Laverty, their teacher and Music Director at Zion Lutheran Church in Maryland Heights, Missouri, join Andy and Sarah to talk about learning to play piano and organ at young ages, what it’s like to be a young church musician, and encouraging young people to get involved with music in church. Ryan Edinger will be presenting a piano recital on Saturday, February 16, at 3:30 p.m. at the Steinway Piano Gallery in Maryland Heights, Missouri. Dr. Laverty will be presenting a piano concert on Saturday, February 23, at 7:00 p.m. at St Paul United Church of Christ in Columbia, Illinois. Find details for his concert and other appearances at marklaverty.com.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, MSW, of ilovemyshepherd.com, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about wellness for the church work student, including why it’s important to start wellness habits while still in college, tips for finding a mentor, and how wellness habits benefit the future vocation of church workers. Read resources about Church Worker Wellness at lcms.org/wellness. This episode is part of an ongoing Church Worker Wellness series with Deaconess Heidi Goehmann. Find more episodes in this series with the tag “Church Worker Wellness.”

Jackie Smith, Executive Director of LASE Specialized Education in St. Louis, Missouri, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about typical evaluations for special needs for students, what parents can do to start the evaluation process, and how LASE supports families through the education process. Read the article mentioned in this conversation at wcpastl.com/a-parents-call-to-action-10-reasons-not-to-avoid-evaluation-and-treatment-for-your-childs-academic-behavioral-or-emotional-problem. Learn more about LASE Specialized Education at lutheranspecialed.org and facebook.com/LASESpecializedEducation.

Students Anthony and Abby along with Director of Music Miss Jennifer Brauer and Head of School Dr. Craig Ernstmeyer from Lutheran High School of St. Charles County, Missouri, join Andy to talk about their school and what they love about it during National Lutheran Schools Week. Learn more about Lutheran High St. Charles at lutheranhighstcharles.com. Learn about National Lutheran Schools Week festivities at lcms.org/lutheranschoolsweek.

Rachel Bomberger, managing editor of the Lutheran Witness, joins Andy and Sarah to preview the February edition of LW, including what it means to have “mercy” in our context, and a few of the great articles about the legacy of the church’s mercy work. Subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness and find articles online at witness.lcms.org.

Students Saffron and Lindsay along with Choir Director Greg Gastler from Lutheran High School South in St. Louis, Missouri, join Andy and Sarah to talk about their school and what they love about it during National Lutheran Schools Week. Learn more about LHSS at lhssstl.org. Learn about National Lutheran Schools Week festivities at lcms.org/lutheranschoolsweek.

Violet T. – Tenderheart in American Heritage Girls Troop VA0325, and Adalyn T. – Girl Member in American Heritage Girls Troop NE0508, join Andy to share their experiences in the 2019 March for Life in Washington, D.C., including their favorite things about the March and ways AHG has helped them learn about respecting life. Violet said, “It was great to see how many people come out and march for life. People are excited and they care so much about it.” Adalyn said the most memorable part of the March was, ““All the noises… the people cheering and chanting, the music playing from speakers, musical instruments playing, kids cheering. The sounds were so fun and encouraging and they made it easy to join in.” Learn more about American Heritage Girls at americanheritagegirls.org.

Dr. Bruce Carvell, Artistic Director of the Collegium Vocale of St. Louis, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the upcoming “Rejoice and Be Glad!: Four Sacred Cantatas by Christoph Graupner,” a concert of Baroque sacred music on Sunday, February 3, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. Dr. Bruce Carvell will give an introductory lecture at 2:30 p.m. to provide greater context and insight into Graupner and his music. The concert will be performed at Concordia Lutheran Church, 505 S. Kirkwood Road, 63122. Learn more about the Collegium Vocale at collegiumvocaleofsaintlouis.org and find the concert Facebook event at facebook.com/events/2166032963648935.

Rev. Warren Woerth, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Arnold, Missouri, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why creation education is so important for people of all ages and to preview upcoming creation education events in Missouri. Events mentioned are: “Creation Truth Conference” sponsored by Missouri Association for Creation. Friday, March 1 – Saturday, March 2 at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO. Find details and register at mocreation.org/TruthConf. “The Alternative: Creation’s Competitive Edge” presented by Dr. Robert Carter at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Arnold, MO on March 3 at 2:00 p.m. Dr. Carter is a PhD Marine Biologist and speaker for Creation Ministries whose current focus is analyzing and determining the implications of DNA data gleaned from genome mapping databases. Find details at creation.com/events/us/181204251440537380018O. “Thousands not Billions: How Old is the Earth?” 2019 Society of Creation Conference. Friday, June 14 – Saturday June 15 at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis, MO. Find details and register at societyofcreation.org/conferences.php.

Students Joshua and Taylor along with Assistant Principal Rob Stock from Metro East Lutheran High School join Andy to talk about their school and what they love about it during National Lutheran Schools Week. Learn more about MELHS at melhs.org. Learn about National Lutheran Schools Week festivities at lcms.org/lutheranschoolsweek.

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.

Mr. Spangler and students Sophia, Kennedy, and Mason from Christ Community Lutheran School in Kirkwood, Missouri, join Andy to talk about their school and what they love about it during National Lutheran Schools Week. Learn more about CCLS at ccls-stlouis.org. Learn about National Lutheran Schools Week festivities at lcms.org/lutheranschoolsweek.

Rev. Vince Parks— Executive Director of LINC, and Rev. Lonnie Gonzalez— City Director of LINC Houston, join Sarah to talk about LINC and LINC Houston, the unique needs of the people in Houston, and how LINC makes a difference in each community it serves. Learn more about LINC Houston at linchouston.org.

The Coffee Hour went on the road to the 2019 March for Life in Washington, D.C.! In this episode, Sarah Gulseth presents reflections and conversations from her time at the March, including conversations with the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison— President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; the Rev. Dr. Al Espinosa— senior pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Irvine, California; the Rev. Michael Salemink— Executive Director of Lutherans for Life; the Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz— Executive Director of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty; and Jeaneen Wyly— teacher at Lutheran High School Westland in Westland, Michigan.

Dr. Tom Mueller— Assistant Professor of Church Music and University Organist at Concordia University Irvine, California, and Dr. Mark Bender— Minister of Music at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Des Peres, Missouri, join Sarah to talk about Dr. Mueller’s upcoming organ concert on Sunday, January 27 at 4:00 p.m. for the Music at St. Paul’s Series. Special cameras will show the organ console during the concert so you can watch his playing! Learn more about this concert and the MASP series at facebook.com/MASP12345.

David Fiala, DCE, Assistant Director of Missionary Recruitment for the LCMS Office of International Mission, joins Sarah to talk about the current needs for missionary recruitment (looking at you, Lutheran accountants and project managers), and what the process is for becoming a missionary. Learn more and start your application at lcms.org/serve.

Dr. Becky Schmidt, Director of School Ministry with the LCMS Office of National Mission, joins Sarah and guest co-host Rachel Bomberger, managing editor of the Lutheran Witness, to talk about what makes Lutheran Schools integral to our communities, the festivities that happen during National Lutheran Schools Week, and why this week is important for our Lutheran school families. Find resources at lcms.org/lutheranschoolsweek and learn more about LCMS School Ministry at lcms.org/schoolministry. Follow LCMS School Ministry to see NLSW updates and to join in the National Sing-A-Long at facebook.com/LCMSschools. Don’t forget to use your hashtags #NLSW19 #LuthEd!

Deaconess Dorothy Krans— Director of Recognized Service Organizations for the LCMS, and LCMS Communications team members Erik Lunsford— Managing Photojournalist, Peter Slayton— Social Media Manager, and Kevin Armbrust— Director of Editorial Services, join Sarah to share their reflections and experiences at the 2019 LCMS Life Conference and the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Share your stories from the March for Life on social media using the LCMS hashtags #eyesoflife #JoyfullyLutheran #JoyfullyAlive and the March for Life hashtags #MarchforLife #whywemarch #uniquefromdayone. .Learn more about LCMS Life Ministry at lcms.org/life, read Eyes of Life stories at eyesoflife.org, and find Joyfully Lutheran stories at joyfullylutheran.org.

Dr. Jim Marriott, Director of Musical Arts for Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, joins Sarah to talk about Epiphany hymns, including Lutheran Service book 395, 397, and 403, as well as the theological themes we sing about in Epiphany and why singing the hymns of the church is so important for our life of faith.

Rev. Tim Droegemueller, Pastor of Living Faith Lutheran Church in Cumming, Georgia, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the importance of adult catechesis and how the seasons of the church year play into how the catechism and vocation are taught in his congregation. Read the explanation of his process at livingfaithlutheran.com/im-new. This is a rebroadcast from June 8, 2018.