The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

Today, we're introducing our current KFUO Radio Intern, Callia Nutt! She has been with us for Fall 2025 and will continue for Spring 2026. Maybe you've heard her voice on air! She joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why the KFUO internship interested her, some of the things she's gotten to do in her internship so far, the hardest skill she's had to learn, the most exciting thing she's been a part of, and advice she would give to future interns.As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What's the latest from our Concordia Universities? The Rev. Dr. Douglas Spittel (Vice President of Concordia University System) joins Andy and Sarah for the monthly Concordia University System update to talk about formal and informal visits, the summit had with the CU Admissions Officers, the current state of enrollment, Christmas at the Concordias, and the upcoming scholarship round. Learn more at cus.edu.As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What is a prelude, and why does it happen (or not happen) before a church service? Dr. Mark Bender (retired Minister of Music from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Des Peres, MO), Phillip Magness (Cantor at Village Lutheran Church in Ladue, MO) and Cheryl Magness (Managing Editor of Reporter with LCMS Communications and International Center chapel musician) join Andy and Sarah to talk about what a prelude is and why we have it, how a person in the pew can make good use of the prelude, the thought and preparation that goes into picking and playing the prelude, whether there are times when it is more suitable to not have a prelude, and helpful ways to appreciate this musical offering.This episode is a rebroadcast from April 29, 2025.As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

In many of our Set Apart to Serve conversations, we’ve spoken with church workers about their experience becoming and serving as a church worker. Today we begin conversations from another perspective: you, the people in the pew, laity and lay leaders on the role of church workers in your lives and why encouraging your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to consider church work is important to you. Mark Wolters and Debbie Larson join Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about their lives and service to the church, their own experiences with lay leadership and encouraging young people to consider church work, how LWML women have a special role to play in encouraging future church workers, the analogy of farming and harvest in relation to church worker recruitment and formation, and the role of the layperson in encouraging those around them to consider church work vocations.Christ’s church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need church workers.Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. Together, we pray for workers for the Kingdom of God and encourage children to consider church work vocations.Here are three easy ways you can participate in SAS:1. Pray with your children for God to provide church workers.2. Talk to your children about becoming church workers.3. Thank God for the people who work in your congregation.To learn more about Set Apart to Serve, visit lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve.Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What do we learn from The Feast of the Confession of St. Peter, celebrated by the Church on January 18? The Rev. Dr. David Lewis (associate professor of Exegetical Theology, director of the Master of Divinity and Residential Alternate Route Programs, Student Association adviser and the Dr. Jack Dean Kingsbury Professor of New Testament Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about The Confession of St. Peter, including this Sunday's Gospel reading from Mark 8:27–9:1, what we discover in Jesus' words to his disciples and Peter's reply, and how we can learn about our own lives in the church from this story of St. Peter.As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What happens to the Augsburg Confession as Lutherans cross the ocean to settle in America? The Rev. Dr. Cameron McKenzie (the Forrest E. and Frances H. Ellis Professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN) joins Andy and Sarah for a series on the Battle of the Augsburg Confession in American Lutheranism to explore the transition of the Augsburg Confession and Lutheranism from Germany to America, focusing on the role of German and Scandinavian immigrants, the influence of Henry Muhlenberg and the Pietist movement, and the challenges faced in preacher training and ordination. Their conversation also touches on the impact of the American Revolution on the Lutheran Church and its future in the new nation.Find all episodes in this series at kfuo.org/tag/battle-for-the-augsburg-confession-series.As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What does it look like for laypeople and rostered church workers to spread the Gospel overseas? The Rev. Dr. Mark Rabe (Director of Missionary Recruitment, LCMS Office of International Mission) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about his own story of serving as a missionary in Africa, what he learned during his time of service that helps him encourage others to serve internationally, the current opportunities available to serve with LCMS International Mission, who is well-suited to serve in these positions, and how the LCMS trains and forms new missionaries for success on the field. Learn more and find your own opportunity to serve at servenow.lcms.org.As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What are the benefits of being a member of Lutheran Federal Credit Union? The Rev. Tom Schlund (Synod Relations & Marketing Director, Lutheran Federal Credit Union) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why someone would want to join LutheranFCU and who is eligible to participate. Pastor Schlund also shares about the new Relationship Rewards program, explaining the benefits available at each level, and how members can take advantage of these rewards. Learn more at lutheranfcu.org/relationshiprewards#Perks.As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Rev. Dr. Brian Heller gives today's sermon based on Luke 2:41-52.>> The broadcast of chapel services is brought to you by LCMS International Mission and Ministry to Armed Forces.>> Learn more at international.lcms.org and lcms.org/armedforces.>> To learn more about long and short-term opportunities to serve, visit servenow.lcms.org.Tune in weekdays at 10:00 a.m. CT to hear daily chapel services from the LCMS International Center. Find service information including the lectionary, hymn, and homilist for the day at kfuo.org/daily-chapel-schedule.

How is the Gospel of Jesus being brought to all nations? The Rev. Stephen Heimer (Manager, LCMS All Nations Ministry) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about what All Nations Ministry is and the idea that led to the organization of the All Nations Council. He explains who is represented in this group and what everyone learned in the council's initial meeting. He also shares some of the challenges faced by ethnic groups in America and in the LCMS, the unique challenges faced by second generation immigrants, and how the council's meeting benefitted the groups represented.Read more about this Council at reporter.lcms.org/2025/all-nations-council and learn about LCMS All Nations Ministry at lcms.org/how-we-serve/national/all-nations-ministry.As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.