The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

Laura Gaskell and Joann Cizel — Volunteers with the LCMS Office of International Mission for the Africa Missionary Retreat, and Erin Alter — Director of Short-Term Missions with the LCMS Office of International Mission, join Sarah to talk about how they prepared for this volunteer opportunity, how their previous experiences prepared them to serve, what their days looked like while caring for missionary kids, what they learned about the missionaries who serve in Africa, and how their experience has shaped how they see the world now.Learn how you can serve in a similar way at servenow.lcms.org.

Rev. Dr. Richard Marrs, Professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, joins Andy and Sarah during Mental Health Awareness Month to talk about how to help your therapist understand Lutheran theology and worldview, including how professional therapists are equipped to care for clients and respect their religious beliefs, how it might be beneficial for a therapist to understand a client’s religious beliefs, what might be helpful for a therapist to know about one’s religious beliefs and practices, and what a client can share with my therapist that would help him better understand Lutheran theology and worldview. Find Dr. Marrs' book Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered at westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/779045-making-christian-counseling-more-christ-centered.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, MSW, joins Andy and Sarah in our series on "Emotions and the Gospel" during Mental Health Awareness Month to talk about Autism, Neurodiversity, and Emotions, including what misconceptions we might have about Autism and Neurodiversity, what we need to know about how autism affects the senses, what Autism might look like and what it might feel like for the child experiencing it, the emotions parents might experience as they navigate having a child with Autism, and how parents can handle moments when they feel judged by other parents. Find the resource mentioned from Heidi at heidigoehmann.com/mental-health-1.Find your copy of Emotions and the Gospel: Created for Connection at books.cph.org/emotions-and-the-gospel. Listen to all episodes in this series at kfuo.org/tag/emotions-and-the-gospel.Hear Mental Health Mondays each Monday at 9am CT, or listen to all episodes at kfuo.org/tag/mental-health-monday.View Deaconess Heidi's Mental Health Playlist on Youtube, listen to the Life in Relationship Podcast, and find all of her writings and resources at heidigoehmann.com.

Rev. Steve Law, pastor of Wollaston Lutheran Church in Quincy, MA, and Chairman of CLiMB, Chinese Lutherans in Mission Building, joins Andy and guest co-host Jordan Harms for our Set Apart to Serve Series to talk about his journey into pastoral ministry, his work with CLiMB, how CLiMB is addressing church work recruitment with roadblocks and successes, how he sees Set Apart to Serve resources benefiting CLiMB, and some first steps for a listener who knows of an ethnic neighborhood near them who may not be hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Learn more about CLiMB at en.climb-lutheran.org and facebook.com/ClimbLutheran.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.

Rev. Dr. Jon Vieker, Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Dean of Chapel at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about a brief history of the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord, where we see these observances throughout history, how we observe Ascension today, and the Scripture and hymns for this Feast.

Amanda Walker, CEO of Lutheran Federal Credit Union (LFCU), joins Andy and Sarah to talk about what LFCU is and why it was started, how Amanda came to join the team, why a credit union for Lutherans is an important thing, what services LFCU provides, and how LFCU has made a difference for those it serves. Learn more about LFCU at lutheranfcu.org.

Stephen M. Saunders, Ph.D., Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Psychology at Marquette University, joins Sarah during Mental Health Awareness Month to talk about reducing stigma associated with mental illness, including examples of this stigma, stigma affects someone living with a mental illness, what we need to know about mental illness that would help us reduce associated stigma, and what is unique to understanding mental illness in a Lutheran worldview.

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann, LCSW, MSW, joins Andy and Sarah during Mental Health Awareness Month to talk about the major life transition of Going to College, including what emotions a student might experience preparing for and going to college, how boundaries can be valuable, what physical health might look like for new college students, and how caring for spiritual health in college is incredibly important.Find your copy of Emotions and the Gospel: Created for Connection at books.cph.org/emotions-and-the-gospel. Listen to all episodes in this series at kfuo.org/tag/emotions-and-the-gospel.Hear Mental Health Mondays each Monday at 9am CT, or listen to all episodes at kfuo.org/tag/mental-health-monday.View Deaconess Heidi's Mental Health Playlist on Youtube, listen to the Life in Relationship Podcast, and find all of her writings and resources at heidigoehmann.com.

Rev. Brian Heller, Manager of Specialized Spiritual Care Ministry with the LCMS Office of National Mission, joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve Series to talk about who is served by professionals in Specialized Spiritual Care Ministry (formerly Specialized Pastoral Ministry), in what ways chaplains serve, how he began considering formation to be a chaplain, the special training that professionals in Specialized Spiritual Care Ministry receive, and how to begin the steps to becoming a chaplain. Learn more at lcms.org/how-we-serve/mercy/specialized-pastoral-ministry.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.

Anna Mussmann, Lutheran homeschool mom and writer and author of "Why (and How) to Teach Your Children Classic Poems" in the May 2023 issue of The Lutheran Witness, joins Sarah to talk about why poetry is an important part of our language arts, how a Christian worldview influences how we view poetry, why we should teach our children classic poems, ways we can reclaim this in our family life, and some resources. Read her article and find her suggested books at witness.lcms.org/2023/why-and-how-to-teach-your-children-classic-poems.