The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

Rev. Dr. Stephen Oliver, serving the Lord in Taiwan and the Asia Region, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how he serves in Taiwan, mission projects happening in the Asia region, exciting new things happening in the Asia region, and the current project he's working on. Learn more about the Oliver family and how to support their work at lcms.org/oliver.

Rev. Carl, Chenhsi, and Lydia Hanson, Serving the Lord in South Korea, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how they serve in South Korea, the community where International Lutheran Church is in Seoul, their transitions on the mission field, and how they share the Gospel in their community. Learn more about the Hansons and how to support their work at lcms.org/hanson and International Lutheran Church at ilcseoul.org.

Dr. Jonathan Butterfield — Head of School at Lutheran High School South in St Louis, Savannah Butterfield and Aidan Toner — Lutheran High School South students, and Erin MacKenzie — missionary serving the Lord in Latin America and the Caribbean based in the Dominican Republic, join Andy and Sarah to talk about their time serving in the Dominican Republic, how they prepared for their service, who they interacted with in the Dominican Republic, what they learned from this trip, and how this experience impacted their thoughts and plans for the future. Learn more about serving on a short term team at servenow.lcms.org.

Lisa Clark — Senior Editor for Curriculum Resources with Concordia Publishing House (CPH), and Jonathan Schultz — President and CEO of Concordia Publishing House, join Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve Series to talk about how they came to be at CPH, the Set Apart to Serve curriculum currently in development, how a curriculum like this is developed, how this curriculum will benefit churches and schools, and who will receive this curriculum when it is released. Follow updates on this exciting project at lcms.org/sas.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.

Rehema Kavugha, Director of Synod Relations for Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF), joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the Synod 175 Student Art Contest from LCEF, including why LCEF created this contest, who was eligible, the response they received, and what the winners received.Then, some of the winners share about their artwork! These winners are: Lorraine Hester, Ava Anderson, Alayna Schnare, Lucia Schnare, Isaiah Schnare, Juda Schnare, Noah Casper, Sophia Williams (and Mrs. Leamon), Pearl Curtis, Eve Curtis, Arabella Blakely, Eli Boehmer, Chase Erickson, Irene Ball, and Serena Baumgarn.Learn more about this art contest and the full list of winners at lcef.org/artcontest.

Ruth Meyer, author of N is for Nativity: Christmas from A to Z and Our Faith from A to Z, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about where the idea began to write an alphabet book on the Christmas story, the creative process for writing an alphabet book, and how families can enjoy this new book for Christmas. Find her books at cph.org/n-is-for-nativity-christmas-from-a-to-z, cph.org/our-faith-from-a-to-z, and ruthmeyerbooks.com.

Rev. Bryan Roberts, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Pevely, MO, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the needs of the community in Jefferson County, how LCMS congregations in Jefferson County work together to meet the needs of this community, what is available at Grace Day, and how this day supports families in the Jefferson County area. Learn more about Zion Pevely and Grace Day at zionpevely.com and facebook.com/zionpevely.

FLAME, Lutheran artist and author of "Extra Nos: Discovering Grace outside Myself," available now from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about his journey into the Lutheran faith, the people who were influential in this journey from childhood, how his love of rap music blossomed into more than just a hobby, how he discovered Lutheran theology, and why clarity in theology and confession is a top priority for him. Find FLAME's book at cph.org/extranos and all things Extra Nos Academy at extranosacademy.com.

Andy and Sarah talk with presenters at the upcoming CCLE Conference XXIII at Concordia University Nebraska, July 18-21. Rev. Robert Paul, Headmaster of Memorial Lutheran Church and School in Houston, TX, talks about "Culture Cultivation and the Administrator’s Role," including the role of an administrator in creating school culture and parents also play a role. Rev. Phillip Fischaber, pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut, IL, talks about "Teaching Latin and Other Languages the Lutheran Way," including why Latin and other languages important today and how teachers can teach Latin to their students. Matt Rivers, Parent and Volunteer Instructor in Music at Faith Lutheran High School in Plano, TX, talks about "Teaching Hymn Composition to High School Students," including what happens when we set high expectations for our students and how he teaches hymn composition to high schoolers.Learn more about CCLE Conference XXIII at live.eventtia.com/en/6340/Home and the work of CCLE at ccle.org.

Bill Schranz — Director of Education & Synodical Careers and Director of Colloquy at Concordia University Nebraska, and Lead Placement Director for the Concordia University System, joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve Series to talk about his path to becoming a Lutheran teacher, the process of formation to placement for commissioned church workers, his role as placement director in the formation and placement of commissioned church workers, what Synod and Concordia Universities are doing to address the church worker shortage, and what you can do to begin addressing a shortage in church workers.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.