The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

Are you getting prepared for the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering? We have important information for you! The Rev. Mark Kiessling (Director of LCMS Youth Ministry), Julianna Shults, (DCE and Program Manager for LCMS Youth Ministry), Meredith Smith (Communications Specialist for LCMS Youth Ministry), Charessa Koontz (Youth Gathering Planner and DCE at Bethany Lutheran Church in Austin, TX), and Rev. Lawton Thompson (Assistant Pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Des Peres, MO), join Andy and Sarah to talk about why we gather the youth of the LCMS, an overview of the theme of ENDURE, how bringing a group of youth benefits the local congregation, how district coordinators help congregations plan to go to Gathering, and the immediate next steps to prepare for travel. Learn more at lcmsgathering.com.

What does Hispanic Ministry look like in Southwest Detroit? The Rev. Ricardo Granado, Michigan District Missionary for Hispanic Ministries, joins Andy, Sarah, and translator the Rev. Stephen Heimer (Manager of All Nations Ministry with the LCMS Office of National Mission) during our Hispanic Heritage Month series to talk about his Lutheran heritage and growing up in Venezuela, his journey to become a Lutheran pastor and how he served the Church in Venezuela, his family's journey to the United States and how he has served the church here, and the amazing ministry happening in Detroit. Learn more about Pan de Vida on their Facebook page: facebook.com/pandevida1820. Read more from Rev. Granado at michigandistrict.org/commission/granado-leads-michigan-district-hispanic-ministry.Learn more about LCMS Hispanic Ministry at lcms.org/how-we-serve/national/hispanic-ministry.

The Rev. Idonis King, a recent graduate of Concordia Seminary and now Associate Pastor and “Missionary to the City” of Saint Trinity Lutheran Church and Saint John (Morganford) Lutheran Church in St Louis, MO, joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve Series to share his story of becoming Lutheran and entering the seminary, his favorite experiences from pastoral formation, the experience of receiving his first Call, his great joy for serving the Lord as a pastor, and what he is most looking forward to as he serves in this Call.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.

We’re celebrating 100 years of God’s blessings on KFUO Radio with a special series featuring guests from KFUO’s long history! In Episode 13, Joanie Harwell (former director of development for KFUO) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how KFUO was a part of her childhood and family culture, how she ended up joining the KFUO Radio staff, her path to eventually becoming director of development, her favorite memories of working for KFUO Radio, how KFUO changed the trajectory of her life, and her favorite memories of the people she met and worked with over the years.Learn more about KFUO’s 100th Anniversary Celebration at kfuo.org/100.

How is the LCMS responding to the damage done by Hurricane Helene? The Rev. Dr. Ross Johnson, Director of LCMS Disaster Response, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the devastation from Hurricane Helene and subsequent flooding across the Southeast, how LCMS congregations have been impacted, the needs of those affected, how LCMS Disaster Response is partnering with districts and congregations to respond to those needs, and how listeners can volunteer and donate. Learn more and give at lcms.org/disaster._____________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the ongoing efforts of LCMS organizations to meet the needs of those affected by Hurricane Helene:LCMS DISASTER RESPONSEWorking through LCMS districts and congregations as well as with international Lutheran churches and other partners, LCMS Disaster Response builds capacity of the church’s partners to respond to needs with Christian care. The ministry reaches out to LCMS congregations and their communities with services that include on-site assessment, emergency relief and development grants, pastoral care for LCMS church workers and members, and other resources.Give online at https://www.lcms.org/givenow/disaster or text DISASTERSLCMS to 41444.You can also check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LCMSDisasterResponse for additional updates.LCMS-LERTWithin LCMS Disaster Response, LERT (Lutheran Early Response Teams) deploys teams of volunteers in the immediate aftermath of emergencies. There are several current deployments across the Southeast, with more likely to be announced in the near future.View those current volunteer opportunities here: https://www.lcms-lert.org/need/index?need_id=996139&need_init_id=11431DISTRICTSAdditional volunteer and giving opportunities are also being organized at the district level. There is information about Amazon wish lists, hygiene kits, "flood buckets," and more on their respective Facebook pages. If you live within one of these districts, you are encouraged to work closely with your local congregations and district leadership—these Facebook pages are a great place to find out what is going on, if you don't already know.Florida-Georgia District: https://www.facebook.com/FLGADistrictMid-South District: https://www.facebook.com/MidSouthDistrictSoutheastern District: https://www.facebook.com/sedlutheranPRAY!Please continue to keep everyone affected by Hurricane Helene in your prayers. The people in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia have suffered a great deal, and they need our prayers. Disaster Response has a lot of resources for praying for those affected by a natural disaster, as well as specific ones to Helene (see above). If you need some things to pray for, consider praying for:families who have lost or been displaced from their homes, that the Lord would comfort themfirst-responders, that the Lord would give them strength and support as they serve their neighborall those who grieve, that God would give them His peace which passes all understandingall those who have been separated from a loved one, that their anxieties would be stilled and the Lord would grant them a joyful reunificationfor all those suffering from physical, emotional, or mental hardship, that the Great Physician would bring healingswift and efficient response from local, state, federal, and volunteer agencies

LCEF has new All Access Accounts! Rehema Kavugha (Synod Relations Director with Lutheran Church Extension Fund) and Sharon Bollinger (Assistant Vice President for Product Development with Lutheran Church Extension Fund) join Andy and Sarah to talk about what is included in the LCEF All Access Account, what makes this account different from others available from LCEF, how this account benefits LCMS ministries, and how investors can benefit from the account. Learn more at lcef.org/allaccess.

How does the Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF) provide Lutheran resources for Spanish speakers? The Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise (Executive Director for Lutheran Heritage Foundation) joins Andy and Sarah during our Hispanic Heritage Month series to talk about how the Lord is providing for and reaching people of Hispanic heritage with Christ-centered resources, the types of resources available in the Spanish language, how Spanish resources are used in the United States, and how LHF builds relationships with missionaries and partner churches to meet needs. Learn more about LHF and request resources at lhfmissions.org.Learn more about LCMS Hispanic Ministry at lcms.org/how-we-serve/national/hispanic-ministry.

How can we identify false churches, and how do we know if we're in a faithful church? The Rev. Matthew Richard, author of Will The Real Church Please Stand Up? 7 False Churches, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about his motivation behind writing this book, how he would define a false church, what we as humans tend to gather around instead of Christ, the questions we should ask when evaluating a church, and characteristics of a true and faithful church. Find Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? Seven False Churches at cph.org/will-the-real-church-please-stand-up-seven-false-churches.

How does Lutheran High School South's Kaleo Theology Academy form students for future church work? Rev. Christopher Sommer (Head of Campus Wellness at Lutheran High School South in St. Louis) and LHSS Theology Academy students Ellie and Kevin join Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve Series to talk about how the idea for the Lutheran South Kaleo Theology Academy began, how this Academy fits in the bigger picture of the mission of Lutheran South High School, why Ellie and Kevin enrolled in the Theology Academy, what they are learning through this special study, their plans for graduation, and what Pastor Sommer wants students to gain from the Academy. Learn more about the Kaleo Theology Academy at lslancers.org/academics/kaleo-academy.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.

We’re celebrating 100 years of God’s blessings on KFUO Radio with a special series featuring guests from KFUO’s long history! In Episode 12, Ron Klemm (Former Director of Classic99 and host of Joy!) joins Andy, Sarah, and guest co-host Joanie Harwell to talk about where his love for classic music began and how it grew into a career, how he came to KFUO-FM (Classic99), how the sacred music program Joy! began, the people he got to meet and work with during his time with Classic99, and what he enjoyed most about his time with Classic99.Learn more about KFUO’s 100th Anniversary Celebration at kfuo.org/100.