The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

How does a Lutheran teacher build relationships with students, families, and colleagues? Debbie Armbruster, retired teacher at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and School in Eureka, MO, joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about her experiences in Lutheran education as a student, how she was formed in her Lutheran faith and vocations at Lutheran schools, her journey to becoming a Lutheran educator, and how she uses her creative and varied background to build relationships with students, families, and colleagues. 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.

How do visual art and graphic design serve the church and ministry of the Word? April Parviz, Graphic Designer and Visual Artist, joins Andy and Sarah from the 2024 Institute on Liturgy, Preaching, and Church Music to talk about her life as a graphic designer and visual artist, how excellence plays a role in creative arts, how her art is a reflection of who she is and what she believes, and her current series “Sleepers Awake.” Learn more about April and her work at aprilparviz.art. Learn more about Intersect Arts at intersectstl.org and the Holy Cross Lutheran feast service holycrossstl.org/feast. Learn more about our Lutheran understanding of worship at https://www.lcms.org/worship.A follow-up note from April: "Just to be clear, any good that comes through our prayers or music or art comes from God, and only God. We are not the ones controlling or creating that good. He just allows us to carry it sometimes, which is one of the most lovely gifts, I think."

We have come to the reign of King James in episode 3 of our series on the Puritan Movement. Who was King James and how did the Puritan Movement resurface during his reign? Hear about how the Puritan movement became the Separatists, when Puritans officially left the Church of England, the development of the group that would travel to the New World, and the story of the Puritans who traveled to Plymouth under Willliam Brewster. Rev. Dr. Cameron A. MacKenzie, Professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, joins Andy and Sarah for our nine-episode series on the History of the Puritan Movement in England. Find more from Dr. Mackenzie at video.ctsfw.edu.Interested in more? Recommended reading from Dr. MacKenzie includes Worldly Saints by Leland Ryken, English Puritanism by John Spurr, Reformation in England by Peter Marshall, Puritan Christianity in America: Religion and Life in 17th Century Massachusetts by John Carden, and Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.

How has Soldiers of the Cross supported LCMS church workers? Deaconess Maryann Hayter, LCMS Manager of Grants Administration, joins Andy and guest co-host Rev. Kevin Robson, Chief Mission Officer for the LCMS, during our series on Mercy Stories to talk about what Soldiers of the Cross is, the scenarios in which a church worker may need support from Soldiers of the Cross, how this program supports the mission priorities of the LCMS, and how support from donors makes this mercy program a reality. Learn more about Soldiers of the Cross at lcms.org/how-we-serve/mercy/serving-church-workers/soldiers-of-the-cross. Read more about Mercy Work in the LCMS at lcms.org/how-we-serve/mercy and at https://lcms.org/mercystories.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School in Des Peres, MO, is celebrating 175 years with exciting expansion. Rev. Dr. Glen Thomas — Senior Pastor at St. Paul’s, Sharon Whitlock — Long-time member at St. Paul’s, and Mark Canon — President of the congregation at St. Paul’s, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the history of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School, how Sharon is related to some charter members of the congregation, how the church and school have evolved over the years, how the church and school have served the surrounding community over 175 years, and the exciting building expansion happening as the congregation continues to grow. Learn more about St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School at stpaulsdesperes.org.

How does a visual arts teacher serve in a Lutheran high school? Anna Bloomfield, visual arts teacher at Crean Lutheran High School in Irvine, California, joins Andy for our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about who influenced her to consider and become a Lutheran school teacher, her journey to becoming a Lutheran school teacher, the types of things a visual arts teacher gets to share with students, how she builds relationships with her high school students, what gives her joy about being a Lutheran school teacher, and how she and her school helps to form and recruit future church workers. Learn more about Crean Lutheran High School at creanlutheran.org. Learn more about the Set Apart to Serve Initiative at lcms.org/setaparttoserve.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.

Steven Wolters, KFUO Radio listener and donor, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about when he first began listening to KFUO Radio, how it became a regular practice for him and his son, how our programs him help him in his daily vocations, and how listening to KFUO Radio has made a difference for his family. If you'd like to become a supporter like Steven, visit kfuo.org/give.This program originally aired December 12, 2023.

What were the Puritan critiques of the Church of England? In episode 2 in our series on the Puritan Movement, learn what the Puritan movement stood for, how they sought to improve the preaching in the Church of England, and the many issues they had with the Church of England’s theology. These things include their idea of experiential piety, the sanctified life, Sabbatarianism, and the different facets of covenant theology. Rev. Dr. Cameron A. MacKenzie, Professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, joins Andy and Sarah for our nine-episode series on the History of the Puritan Movement in England. Find more from Dr. Mackenzie at video.ctsfw.edu.Interested in more? Recommended reading from Dr. MacKenzie includes Worldly Saints by Leland Ryken, English Puritanism by John Spurr, Reformation in England by Peter Marshall, Puritan Christianity in America: Religion and Life in 17th Century Massachusetts by John Carden, and Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.

Rev. Sean Daenzer, director of worship for the LCMS and International Center Chaplain, joins Sarah to talk about how the Athanasian Creed became part of our Confessions, who St. Athanasius was and his relationship to this creed, how it's similar and different to the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, some of the language that might make us uncomfortable and also the beautiful language to pay attention to. Find this Creed on pages 319-320 in the Lutheran Service Book or download it from this link on lcms.org.This is a rebroadcast from June 8, 2022.

How do new pastors and their families find mutual encouragement and support? PALS Facilitator Rev. Steve Wagner from Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX, and PALS Facilitators Rev. David & Kassie Weaver from Trinity Lutheran Church in Stewardson, IL, join Andy to talk about Post Seminary Applied Learning and Support (PALS), how PALS serves new pastors and families, their own experiences in ministry and how those experiences help them as PALS facilitators, and how aspects of ministry affect marriage and family life in a different way than other careers. Learn more about PALS at lcms.org/how-we-serve/education/pastoral/post-seminary-applied-learning-and-support.