St. Paul Podcast

Sarah Yotter preaches on hope. Sometimes we can like captives of our hope. God's grace teaches us that we aren't being held back by our hope, but being guided forward by it.

Pastor Katy Warren preaches on welcoming. Being welcoming to others is more than just saying "welcome". Our actions and words beyond a greeting are more impactful than a greeting itself.

Pastor Mark Niethammer preaches on family. We can strive for a family of peace, but shouldn't get complacent by not improving our own family dynamics.

Pastor Sara Olson-Smith preaches on compassion. God continuously gives us his compassion; now it is our turn to pass that compassion on to the world.

Sarah Yotter preaches on invitation. Just as God invites us to be a part of his grace, we should strive to invite others to join with us in all things. 

Pastor Mark Niethammer preaches on foundations. Building our lives on strong foundations is important, but it is just as important to remember when those foundations fail, God's grace is there to lift us back up.

Pastor Mark Niethammer preaches on fear. While we may be fearful of what is going on in the world, or in our lives, it is important to not close ourselves off to the work God is doing all around us.

Pastor Sara Olson-Smith preaches on retracing. Retracing Jesus' steps isn't just looking and admiring His actions but using them to guide our own. 

Pastor Katy Warren preaches on love. Loving others can take many forms: from finding a lonely monkey a friend, to acts of service for a coworker, our own acts of love can be one of the best reminders of God's presence and love for us.

Maddy Tyler preaches on seeing Jesus. Jesus shows up in unexpected ways through the people in our lives. Whether it's in an elevator, out on the road, or at a musical event, we can see Jesus' workings in the people all around us.   Preaching Text - John 14:1-14

Sara Olson-Smith preaches on abundant life. Abundant life isn't about everything going perfectly, but about truly living — relaxing, playing, and experiencing joy and belonging. Gratitude helps cultivate this sense of abundance, even amid life's challenges and grief. By embracing our unique selves, we can help others flourish and discover that abundance is already present all around us. ...

Katy Warren preaches on hope. We've all hoped for things that didn't turn out the way we planned. As we walk through grief, frustration, and confusion, God doesn't demand positivity or offer instant fixes — God simply walks alongside us. We carry our sorrows, but we carry them in an Easter world — one where Christ is risen, present, and walking with us still.  Preaching text: Luke 2...

Sarah Yotter preaches on doubt. Jesus meets us where we are, not where we think we should be. Like any true relationship, faith holds both confidence and questioning, clarity and confusion — and God's grace is big enough to hold all of it. Our faith was never meant to fit a mold.  Preaching text: John 20:19-31 

Mark Niethammer preaches on Easter Sunday. Nostalgia pulls us toward simpler times — toward safety, toward music and stories we know by heart — because that's where we feel most alive, but life was never buried there. Like the women at the tomb, what we're searching for isn't behind us. Jesus' love propels us forward into forgiveness, new people, new mercy — and a life blooming...

Sara Olson-Smith preaches on Palm Sunday. Jesus chose humility over power — a donkey, not a warhorse — because his victory could only come through love, not force. In giving himself fully for others, he conquers death and shows us the breadth of his care. That's the invitation for us, too: shift a habit, risk something, live for others — because that's not just sacrifice. That's whe...

Katy Warren preaches on surprise. As adults, we rarely experience genuine surprise — we're creatures of habit who know what to expect, and the familiar can make us forget how spectacular life really is. Yet one of the greatest gifts of faith is remaining open to being surprised by God, seeing wonder where we've grown accustomed to routine. Where we're tempted to place a period, God...

Mark Niethammer preaches on perspective. Perspective changes everything. Two people can look at the same cloud and see two completely different images. Grace looks at the world differently. When God does something beautiful in front of us – what do we see? Do we see the possiblity that grace may be breaking into the world in ways we did not expect?  Preaching text: John 9: 1-41

Sara Olson-Smith preaches on mattering. Every human being has a deep need to matter — to feel valued and to know their life has purpose and meaning. Yet many of us struggle to believe this, drowned out by voices that make us feel invisible, cast aside, or beyond redemption. The good news of Jesus is simple: you matter, deeply and completely.  Preaching text: John 4:5-21, 25-30, 39 

Maddy Tyler preaches on trust. Being "born again" is not a rebirth but a spiritual transformation. John 3:16 reveals God's plan — sending Jesus to live, die, and raise the world into something new. To truly believe is more than agreeing to facts; trust is relational, a willingness to rely on what we know to be true.  Preaching text: John 3:1-17 

Katy Warren preaches on temptation. Sometimes temptation isn't a clear line we knowingly cross — it's a slow, subtle drift that pulls us away from our center before we even realize it's happening. We find ourselves lost in anger or resentment, wondering how we got there, having forgotten who we are and who we want to be. We have been named children of God, yet how easily we are lure...

Sara Olson-Smith preaches on God’s love. Jesus is God's glory packaged in human form—making the invisible God visible to us. God's presence isn't reserved for mountaintop moments when life feels good; Jesus bends down into our worry and grief, carrying divine light into our struggles and sorrows. Jesus breaks into the world's despair with radiant, unstoppable love.  Preaching t...

Mark Niethammer preaches on showing up. You are salt and light—preserving life, revealing truth, enabling growth—but only when shared with others. Jesus calls you to show up and use what you already have, because the world needs exactly who you are. There is no single way to be salt and light; you become it simply by living it out.   Preaching text: Matthew 5:13-20  

Katy Warren preaches on the Beatitudes. In the midst of chaos, what it would mean if we embraced a radically different way of living—one defined not by self-interest but by how well we love each other. Drawing on Martin Luther King Jr.'s concept of "dangerous unselfishness," we can navigate through difficult times by choosing to think and live differently. God invites us into faithf...

Sara Olson-Smith preaches on the power of God. Rather than worldly strength, God's true power lies in the willingness to suffer and die for others—the ultimate act of love and sacrifice. We are all equal in our need for God's grace, each carrying unique gifts, and are called to unite across our differences as a community that brings love and warmth to one another and our neighbors. We ar...

Maddy Tyler preaches on Jesus’ invitation to us. We all search for something to fulfill our lives and give us direction when we're lost. With just three words—"come and see"—Jesus invited the disciples to follow Him, and God continues building something stronger for each of us to discover. Even on our darkest days when we feel unworthy, God is at work creating something new in us, i...