St. Paul Podcast

Today, Little Bird, Jesus, and some of the disciples take a small little hike up a mountain. Once on the mountaintop, Little Bird and the disciples are in for a big, sparkly surprise! 

A key turning point in Luke's' gospel marks a key turning point in the church year, as the changing of Jesus' face on a mountaintop marks the beginning of his journey to Jerusalem, cross, and resurrection and our journey through Lent to Holy Week and Easter. Preaching text:  Luke 9:28-36 Bible for Worship is a weekly introduction to the scripture passage that is likely to be the bas...

Sara Olson-Smith preaches on mercy. God forgives us and welcomes up back over and over again, not just for our sake, but so that this mercy will trickle down through our lives and through the ways we live in the world. When we are at our worst, when we have really messed up, God sees us for who we really are and who we could become. Mercy is an act of divine imagination. It dares to imagine that w...

Jesus, Little Bird, and his friends, the disciples, get a little silly today. Jesus plays a little game to get the disciples to guess what he is and soon, they’re all part of the game!  

In Luke's account of Jesus' Sermon on the Plain, he reminds the reader that we always have control over our posture in response to abuse and injury and that God's own dignified posture of love remains the one meaningful model we have. Preaching text: Luke 6:27-36 Bible for Worship is a weekly introduction to the scripture passage that is likely to be the basis for the sermon on the...

Mark Niethammer preaches on the blessings of God. We have every opportunity to forget our faith and take for granted the things we have. If the things we have to fall back on (money, food, comfort) are gone, do we have the faith to acknowledge the things that matter? If we can’t see the blessings of God in all circumstances and others, that’s when we become lost to God.   Preaching text: Luke 6: 1...

Hi podcast friends! Do you ever feel afraid or alone? Of course, you do. We all do at times. A Little Bird told us that today’s episode helps remind us that with the Holy Spirit we are never alone. Because the Holy Spirit is a parakeet…no wait…that can’t be right… Listen to today’s episode to find out! 

In the first major speech by Jesus in Luke's gospel, the focus of life as God's people is on those who understand themselves to be in need — of God's kingdom, God's nourishment, and God's gift of joy. That can be any of us, and those are the people on whom we also are called to be focused. Preaching text: Luke 6:17-26 Bible for Worship is a weekly introduction to the scrip...

Katy Warren preaches on continuing. Even those of us who live with great depths of faith in our lives experience uncertainties about the future, emotional fatigue, and overwhelm. When God asks us to do things of great purpose and meaning, God rarely calls us to do something we can do all on our own. God asks us to be instruments of transformation and to bring joy, grace, and hope wherever it’s nee...

Today’s episode has it all. Disciples and their silly jokes. Jesus shares an important teaching. AND everyone’s favorite Tiny Mouse. Oh boy. Tiny Mouse gets himself in quite a predicament and must make a big choice. We promise…it’s a really grape episode.  A new sound effects list will be emailed out later this week. Send a quick message to jessica@stpaulqc.org if you'd like to be included in...

Mac Mullins preaches on God’s vision. The promise of God’s love is already ours. It’s not a future reality for us. It is alive here and it is alive now. The very reason most of us worship is to once again hear God’s promise that we will be freed. God’s grace gives us a courage, strength, and love we can’t find anywhere else. We have been redeemed by God.  Listen to last week’s sermon. Preaching te...

Introducing Simon Peter as the first disciple that Jesus calls, Luke makes clear some of what discipleship will be about. Preaching text: Luke 5:1-11 Bible for Worship is a weekly introduction to the scripture passage that is likely to be the basis for the sermon on the following weekend. It correlates with the Revised Common Lectionary as it is used at St. Paul. With Peter A. Pettit, teaching pas...

In today’s story we see that none of us, not even Jesus, can do it all alone. Jesus needs the help of his friends, the disciples, to help spread the word of God – even Little Bird gets in on the adventure! It’s about time for another sound effects list to be sent out. Are you on the mailing list yet? Just like today’s story, none of us can do it alone and Little Bird and Jesus greatly benefit from...

Mark Niethammer preaches on lifting each other up. In healing times, it is always better when there is accompaniment. Sometimes all we need is a little support to grow and heal, and our lives can be changed forever. Jesus calls all of us to live in and be a part of a community of care and support for each other. When one of us needs support, we give it. The healing and creative power of God lives...

On today’s episode, the disciples get a little competitive, wanting to know which one is the best disciple. Jesus shares some good wisdom with them, letting them know that being the best isn’t the most important thing.  

Describing Jesus as he offers the hometown crowd in Nazareth the victory cry of God's defeat of oppression and the deadening forces of the world, Luke also reminds them and his readers that God's victory is God's to offer, not ours to claim. Preaching text: Luke 4:21-30 Bible for Worship is a weekly introduction to the scripture passage that is likely to be the basis for the sermon...

As Luke opens the story of Jesus' public activity, he offers a summary scene of all that is to come. The work of the Spirit, grounded in Israel, and alive with creativity in Jesus' own day will be the theme of Luke's whole account through the gospel and the book of Acts. Preaching text: Luke 4:14-21 Bible for Worship is a weekly introduction to the scripture passage that is likely t...

Katy Warren preaches on the magic of faith. Jesus works among and with us. Everyone has a part in God’s work, a role to play in some way. God doesn’t accomplish miraculous work alone. God works in, among, and through us. We can use our gifts or our passions to serve the needs of those around us.  Preaching text: John 2: 1-11

Jesus is still a baby when he, Mary, Joseph, and Little Bird must flee to Egypt because of mean King Herod. Along the way, they seek help from a kind baker who keeps them safe.       There’s still time to get on the Little Bird sound effects list. If you, a friend, family members, anyone would like to submit sound effects for Little Bird to use, email jessica@sptaulqc.org and receive the monthly s...

In the first story of John's gospel after setting the stage for Jesus' ministry, the gospel writer signals key aspects of what the gospel will reveal regarding Jesus as God's only-begotten son, Word made flesh, and savior of the world.  Preaching text: John 2:1-11 Bible for Worship is a weekly introduction to the scripture passage that is likely to be the basis for the sermon on the...

Mac Mullins preaches on identity. We are defined by the life of Jesus, the life lived out for us, dedicated to restoring God’s peace to a broken, wounded, and lonely humanity. What Jesus’ baptism, and our own, lay out for us is a new way of being and living. Not a life trying to live up to unreasonable expectations, to please others, to be popular. Our new life begins and is rooted in the fact tha...

Podcast friends! We've missed you and we're so glad to be back. Today's story is from season 2 and features a miracle at a wedding banquet. So snuggle on in for today's episode!

In the story of Jesus's baptism, Luke shows the key actor in the whole gospel story to be the Holy Spirit, now carried by Jesus and empowering God's realm with grace and servanthood. Preaching text: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 Bible for Worship is a weekly introduction to the scripture passage that is likely to be the basis for the sermon on the following weekend. It correlates with the Revised...

Sara Olson-Smith preaches on the deep love of God. God loved us and this world so deeply that God chose to live among us. God put on our vulnerability, the weight of tears and laughter, pain and joy, and the suffering and delight of being human. Jesus embodies God’s word, showing us what compassion, care, forgiveness, justice, and hope look and feel like.   Preaching text: John 1: 1-18

Happy New Year! This week, we find Little Bird just where we left off - the stable in Bethlehem. On this day, some astounding new visitors arrive, bringing with them one of the strangest creatures Little Bird has ever seen!