St. Paul Podcast

Mark continues to name familiar, comfortable props of life that may be lost, while reinforcing that "all things are possible for God," so faithfulness through even underserved suffering is the way of the kingdom. Preaching text: Mark 10:17-31 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 corr...

We're taking it all the way back to season 1 for one of our favorite episodes so far! 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.     

The story of Job's personal trial and suffering sets up a long tradition of encouraging trust in God through every twist and turn of life. Preaching text: Job 1:1; 2:1-10 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 Pet...

Sara Olson-Smith preaches on small actions. Deeds of power are far and varied and it’s not just the big stuff; giving cups of water or pudding. All of those small things are also mighty deeds of power. Lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time, and God will take those actions and multiply them. Our small actions can do big things in Jesus’ name.   Preaching text: Mark 9: 38-50 

On today's very hot episode, Jesus and the disciples could use some water. Jesus meets a woman at the well and the woman realizes that Jesus has a different kind of refreshment to offer.  Hey kids! Did you like the sound effects in today's episode? There's still time to submit more sound effects. To get on the email list for sound effect requests, send an email to jessica@stpaulqc.o...

Mark shows Jesus dramatically countering several obstacles to life in God's kingdom that Mark's community was facing. Preaching text: Mark 9:38-50 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, teach...

Mark Niethammer preaches on lines, squiggles, and dots. God sees the world like a preschooler talking about their drawings. Where we may see what appears to be a mess of a world, God sees something amazing, beautiful, and challenging. God sees a picture of people who are in this world so that they can care for others in this world. The love of God is what unites all of people and nobody is outside...

Little Bird shares a yummy treat with a new friend under a fig tree in today's episode. I wonder who that friend could be?! Don't forget: Little Bird needs your help to make and create sound effects and voices for future episodes! Did you hear Pastor Sara's big yawn in today's episode? We know you can do it too! To get on the email list for sound effect requests, send an email...

Looking ahead to Jesus' suffering and addressing the disciples' misplaced aspirations, Mark makes clear that servanthood is the shape of leadership and caring for others is the mark of the kingdom of God in the community's new situation. Preaching text: Mark 9:30-37 Bible for Worship is a weekly introduction to the scripture passage that is likely to be the basis for the sermon on t...

Mac Mullins preaches on grace. We want to define what salvation, redemption, and transcendence look like. We want and desire assurance and our anxieties mislead us. When our fear guides our decisions, we decide we can only trust ourselves. If we let God hold the reins of life, our heads and hearts will be free of the fears that drive us to define goodness as what’s best for me and me alone.   Prea...

Whoa, podcast friends! It's been a whole summer since we've last been together! We hope you've had lots of exciting adventures over the summer.  Our favorite little bird is back...and in today's episode, she meets a new friend! Who could it be? Hit play to find out!

At the center of Mark's gospel stands the central question: who is Jesus? Mark answers for the new era in which the community finds itself, offsetting disappointment and confusion with promise and hope. Preaching text: Mark 8: 27-38 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...

Mark Niethammer preaches on the mercy of God. Not everyone in the Bible, especially women, has a name. But these unnamed people have stories to tell, pain to share, joy to celebrate. They are like us, with lives led as faithfully as possible, needs unmet, and laments heard only by their own ears. The “unnamed” in our world are those who live with deep struggles and yet largely go unnoticed by the...

In a pair of stories about Jesus' power to heal, Mark reorients the community toward a wider world and more encompassing gospel than they had ever imagined. Preaching text: Mark 7:24-37 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....

Katy Warren reflects on faith. When was the last time you looked in the mirror? How often do we think about what we saw in the mirror after stepping away and going about the rest of our day? While many of us look in the mirror regularly, it’s not something that sticks with us all that long. Be doers, not hearers. Our lives are only as vibrant as the faith we reflect, our community of faith reminds...

The author of the letter of James, as part of introducing this letter, emphasizes that knowing salvation by the word has a purpose – to care for orphans, widows, and others on the vulnerable margins of life. Preaching text: James 1: 17-27 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 th...

Mark Niethammer preaches on ‘enough.’ We tend to see, to notice, the things we don’t have. If we fall into the pit of ‘there is never enough,’ we forget to look for the subtle ways God is already providing everything you need. Sometimes we need to learn or relearn how to distribute all that God made so all can thrive. There’s always enough. God is working in the background of your life every day....

The account of Jesus' first public encounter in John's gospel comprises all the themes of that gospel, showing in story what was already announced in poetry and theology in the very first verses. 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 following weekend. It correlates with the Rev...

Sara Olson-Smith preaches on the power of comfort food. One of the miracles of being human is that our bodies remember. Not just our heads remember but our bodies do too. Love is stored and remembered in our muscles and our senses. Faith isn’t about having the right answers, thinking in the right kinds of ways, understanding, and never doubting, it’s not just about our heads or our hearts, our fai...

John shows Jesus redirecting people's attention away from spectacle to the persistent, reliable work of God in sustaining and nourishing communities in every circumstance. Preaching text: John 6:51-58 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...

Amy Current, Bishop of the Southeast Iowa Synod, preaches on humanity. We are all humans created by God and we are set free to live our lives. We often come up short. We aren’t always compassionate. We aren’t always kind. But we are never alone. In this week’s episode of the podcast, Pastor Mac Mullins reflects on Bishop Current’s Sunday sermon and the installation of Pastor Mark Niethammer as the...

Mark Niethammer preaches on hope. We have all hoped. When we have hoped and things have not turned out how we wanted them to, we must live in that grief. But that broken hope doesn’t end with the tragic, they evolve into something amazing and often, something miraculous. Second chances give us all the chance to move from grief to accompanied grief to life on the other side.   Preaching text: Luke...

The writer of Ephesians grounds life together in community in truthfulness and thoughtful restraint, showing those to be echoes of God's saving love for us. Preaching text: Ephesians 4: 25-5: 2 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 use...

Mac Mullins preaches on being grounded in faith. When left to our devices, our hearts and desires tend to remain focused on ourselves, on our own wants and desires. Letting go of selfish ambition and trusting our needs will be met even if our wants may not be, are part of what it means to be rooted in Christ. We are filled with love because we are meant to share that love deeply with others.   Pre...

In a dramatic story set on the evening of Easter day, Luke addresses crucial questions for every Christian community that lives after the resurrection. Preaching text: Luke 24:13-35 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.  W...