St. Paul Podcast

Peter W. Marty preaches on Easter Sunday. There are so many people who are afraid of so many things right now. That fear can paralyze lives and cripple the capacity to function well with faith. The greatest achievement of Easter is a freedom from fear. We’re not living in that freedom nearly enough. Having faith does not mean that you don’t have any fears but faith helps instill the courage to wal...

Happy Easter, podcast listeners! A particularly amazing thing happens in today’s episode. Little Bird’s best friend Jesus died just three days ago and while she and a few of Jesus’ other friends are getting ready for his burial, some special visitors bring surprising news.  

Sara Olson-Smith preaches on Palm Sunday. Jesus chose power that comes not through force but through self-giving and strength through humility, not domination. And during Palm Sunday, Jesus chose to ride on a donkey. Today, it’s that donkey that teaches us. It’s an invitation to us to be like the donkey and carry Jesus and his love into this world. We don’t have to be the strongest, the toughest,...

Today’s episode is a sad one. There are some scary and hard things but there is also lots of good and love. Our story begins on the same evening as the Last Supper. When Jesus is arrested and put on trial, Little Bird and the disciples are scared and don’t know quite what to do. But Jesus is ready to show the world just how big God’s love for this world is.  

Megan Eide preaches on forgiveness. God’s ways of mercy and forgiveness are radically different from our own. When God forgives us, God is insisting on a relationship with us. When it comes to forgiveness we often focus on the character of the forgiven and what they’ve done to deserve mercy. Instead, forgiveness is more about the character of the one forgiving. It’s about insisting on the relation...

In this week’s episode, Little Bird shares a very special meal with Jesus and the disciples. And before that meal, Jesus does something a little different but extra special for his friends to show his love and care for them.

Katy Warren preaches on perspective. We all come into new scenarios with our own ways of thinking, our own bias, or preconceived notions that shapes what we believe. We look for the reasons behind why certain things happen. The more convinced we are that we know exactly what God is doing, the less we’ll see and experience the work of God. The place we often find God is often in the middle of the m...

On today's episode, Little Bird adds another new friend to the story. This time, it's a donkey!  Little Bird, Jesus, and their new donkey friend are part of a palm parade in Jerusalem. 

Peter W. Marty preaches on the constancy of God. Think not of the Christian faith as just a set of rules and laws or noble and inspirational ideas. Instead, Christianity is the Lord Jesus Christ present with us and in us. As God communicates to Moses, I will be right there with you. God is to be trusted, not tested.   Preaching text: Exodus 17: 1-7 

Are you ready for another miracle on this week’s episode? When Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus gets very, very sick, Jesus cannot get to see his friends fast enough. There are a lot of big feelings in this episode so snuggle in close with your parents, siblings, or friends and know that just like in the story, Jesus is always with you. 

Pastor Sara Olson-Smith preaches on being in the dark. Many of us, in various seasons of our life, for various kinds of reasons, find ourselves in some kind of darkness. Those times when we really don’t know where we’re going or how we’re going to get there or what is next. Those times can be scary but they’re also the times when we discover the greatest truths about ourselves and the world.    Pr...

This week, we find Little Bird and Jesus playing games with kids just like you! Jesus shares with a few grumpy disciples that children understand God’s dream of love for the world better than anyone else. We can all learn a little something from the children around us.  

Megan Eide preaches on landing in uncharted territory. There is no scenario so unexpected or destination so bleak that God has not passed through first ahead of us and come out the other side. God’s spirit leads people through the wilderness and they come out the other side more ready to step into that promised future. We see over and over again how the wilderness isn’t so much a place of desolati...

Miracles are happening in this week’s episode! After last week’s scary boat ride, Jesus and Little Bird return to shore where lots of people have gathered to see Jesus. In that crowd, a very sick old woman and a man with a sick daughter seek Jesus’ help in healing them. 

Sara Olson-Smith preaches on the both divine and human Jesus. On the feast of the transfiguration, we celebrate the glory and the power of Jesus, who carries in his being the fullness of God’s goodness and strength, and yet, still present on Earth, with skin on.  The light and the glory of God is not just reserved for mountaintops. Our faith reminds us that God’s glorious light and love are breaki...

Put on your raincoats, pull up those rain boots, and get ready for a bumpy boat ride! Little Bird, Jesus, and a few of the disciples head out on the water again but this time, the weather makes things a little scary. Jesus reminds Little Bird (and us) to not be afraid, to find peace, to be still, and to trust in Jesus.  

Peter W. Marty preaches on hateful speech. To be a free person in Jesus Christ, we must let go of hate-filled words. The way we assemble and connect words makes a big difference - we can harm and disfigure or we can bless and dignify the world and other people just by the words we use. It is our words that will save us or condemn us.  Preaching text: Matthew 5: 21-26 

Little Bird and Jesus make their way to Jericho. When Little Bird lands in a sycamore tree, she finds an unlikely new friend and it’s not another bird – but a rich man! This rich man will make some big changes throughout our story today.  

Pastor Peter W. Marty preaches on wisdom and maturity in faith. Once you know the basics and you’re working to cultivate your faith, there’s a certain maturity about you that people outside of the faith don’t know in quite the same way. When you’re growing in maturity in your Christian life, you’re able to perceive some of the hidden wisdom of God that others cannot.    Preaching text: 1 Corinthia...

Jesus and his new flock, including our favorite little bird, share in a few teachings on a mountainside. 

Pastor Katy Warren preaches on being blessed. What does it mean to be blessed? God's blessings are given to us freely. It’s not something that is earned or given as a reward for working hard enough or enduring enough hardship in your life. You matter, you are loved, you are blessed even and, maybe especially, when you don’t feel like it. Blessed are you, right where you are in life.   Preachi...

This week, lots of people gather to hear what Jesus has to say. But as the day goes on, tummies start to growl. Instead of sending everyone home, Jesus says, “We’ll feed them!” But how will they feed 5000 hungry people with only five loaves of bread and two fish? 

Pastor Peter A. Pettit preaches on the big picture. All of our lives, the big picture has a strong impact. This big picture shapes what we make of the options life presents. 28,000 years ago, the prophet Isaiah already understood this. Scripture paints the big picture for people of God. In God’s big picture, we gain from challenging moments, working together for a more joyful world for the whole h...

Our story today takes place on the water at the Sea of Galilea. While Jesus helps a few fishermen catch some fish, Jesus and Little Bird catch some new friends along the way. 

Megan Eide preaches on seeing. Not only do we have a unique way of seeing things we also have a unique way of assigning meaning to them based on our own backgrounds, skills, relationships, and values. They all come together to tell a unique personal story. True faith, a relationship with God that is personal, full, and vivacious, develops through your eyes alone. We must put on our own glasses of...