The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

Meet the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering Media Team! Members of the Media Team Lauren Humphrey (LCMS Gathering Facebook host), Nina Chuang (LCMS Gathering TikTok host), and PJ Aarsvold (LCMS Gathering Instagram host) join Andy and Sarah on the KFUO Stage to talk about how they first got involved with the LCMS Youth Gathering, what the work of the Media Team is, how the many members of the media team wor...

We chat with the Concordia University System at the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering! The Rev. Dr. Jamison Hardy (President of Concordia University System) and the Rev. Dr. Douglas Spittel (Vice President of Concordia University System) join Andy and Sarah on the KFUO Stage to talk about how the Concordia Universities are involved in the LCMS Youth Gathering, the highlights of the Gathering for both of t...

How does the seminary provide clothing and food for seminary students and their families? Deaconess Katherine Rittner, director of the Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne food and clothing co-ops, joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about her path to becoming director of the food and clothing co-ops, the anxieties that students and their spouses experience about se...

Do you know the history of Lutheranism in Brazil? The Rev. Dr. Daniel Harmelink, Executive Director of Concordia Historical Institute (CHI), joins Andy and Sarah to talk about a new exhibit coming to CHI celebrating 125 years of Lutheranism in Brazil, including the planning process to create the exhibit, the history of the LCMS's mission work in Brazil, the challenges missionaries faced, how these...

How can Lutheran congregations support military service members and veterans through Operation Barnabas? Jill Tendler — Operation Barnabas volunteer at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Eureka, MO, and Lee Hinton — Administrative Coordinator for LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces, join Andy and Sarah to talk about Jill's military family story, why Operation Barnabas is important to her, and how small a...

What is it like to teach middle school at a Lutheran school in Taiwan? Andrew and Noel Schaff, serving the Lord in Chiayi, Taiwan, as middle school teachers at Concordia Middle and High School, join Sarah to talk about their journey to the mission field, what life has been like for them over their many years of service, what makes Concordia Middle and High School a unique place for students and te...

Did you know that the oldest Lutheran church in the Americas is an LCMS congregation in New York City? The Rev. Peter A.D. Deebrah (Pastor of Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Matthew in New York City) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about his journey from Guyana to New York City, how he became pastor of St. Matthew, the incredible history of St. Matthew beginning in the 1600s, how the congregation...

What does someone on the Seminary's Board of Regents do, and why is this work important? Matt Kenitzer, a member of the Board of Regents for Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about his upbringing in the church, what drew him to the LCMS, why faithful leadership in the church is important to him, how he became a member of the Board of Regents, and all the critical work t...

What is Worship Anew, and how does it help people experience the love of Jesus? Matthew Leighty (Executive Director, Worship Anew) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the history of Worship Anew (formerly Worship for Shut-Ins), who is reached by Worship Anew today and how it makes a difference for them, who makes the work of Worship Anew possible, and the new partnership between Worship Anew and KF...

Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast, Jr, President of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, joins Andy and Sarah for our History of Lutheranism in America series to talk about the formation of the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, including the people who began the ground work for forming what became The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, the challenges that they faced...

Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast, Jr, President of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, joins Andy and Sarah for our History of Lutheranism in America series to talk about how churches began to organize into large synods, how language played a role in the development of these synods, challenges these Lutherans faced, and two important characters in this story: C.F.W. Walther and Martin Stephan. Fin...

Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast, Jr, President of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, joins Andy and Sarah for our History of Lutheranism in America series to talk about the different groups leaving the Holy Roman Empire German states for America, how things like Pietism and Rationalism affected their decision to leave, the variety of groups that immigrated to America, and Rev. Muhlenburg and the...

How do relationships, opportunities, and invitations encourage young people to remain in the church and consider church work? Rev. Seth Flick, pastor of Divine Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hartland, WI , joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve Series to talk about his formation as a pastor and who encouraged him in this pursuit, his congregation's emphasis on their duty to raise up future c...

Do we still need the law? What were the controversies concerning the Lord’s Supper? The Rev. Brady Finnern, President of the LCMS Minnesota North District and host of KFUO Radio’s Concord Matters, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the Formula of Concord reading plan he created for 2025, including the questions concerning the Third Use of the Law and The Lord's Supper that are addressed in June an...

Lutherans for Life has a new Executive Director! The Rev. Dr. Aric Fenske (Executive Director, Lutherans for Life) joins Andy and Sarah from the 2025 LWML National Convention to talk about his service prior to joining Lutherans for Life, what prompted his continuing education and earning a Doctor of Ministry, why advocating for life is so important to him and his family, why he appreciates Luthera...

What can after-school care look like for teens with disabilities? Addie Johnson (Founder and Executive Director, Our Place After School Care) and Wade Johnson (DCE at Faith Lutheran Church in Hastings, NE, and volunteer with Our Place After School Care) join Andy and Sarah at the 2025 LWML National Convention to talk about what prompted Addie to start Our Place After School Care, why this work is...

What is the latest exciting news from Lutheran Heritage Foundation? The Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise and the Rev. Mark Moss from Lutheran Heritage Foundation join Andy and Sarah from the 2025 LWML National Convention to talk about the 25th anniversary of LHF work in Africa, the translation efforts in Germany for Lutheran materials in Farsi, work being done in England, and how LHF partners with missionar...

How does an educator become a Lutheran School Principal? Dr. Alan Freeman (Director of School Ministry, LCMS Office of National Mission) joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about how he became a school administrator, what kind of “leadership training program” for Lutheran schools existed when he became an administrator, the need for Lutheran school administrators today,...

What is it like to serve as missionaries in the Kingdom of Cambodia? The Rev. Dr. JP and Aimee Cima (Serving the Lord in the Kingdom of Cambodia) join Andy and Sarah to talk about their journey to the mission field in Cambodia, what they've been learning about the culture where they serve, what both of them get to do in Cambodia, and the partners who make this work possible. They also share some e...

Serving as a sacred music educator in Taiwan is no ordinary job—what is it like? Becky Bartelt (Sacred Music Educator, Serving the Lord in Taiwan) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about her path toward service in Taiwan, what a Sacred Music Educator is, what it's like teaching music in a variety of countries and cultures, what is unique about music in Taiwan, how she finds ways to share Jesus while te...

Where is Lutheranism flourishing in Spain? The Rev. Roy Askins (Managing Director, Editorial and Theological Content with LCMS Communications) joins Andy and Sarah to share a special Lutheran Witness Podcast crossover episode. In this episode, Rev. Askins talks with the Rev. Isaac Machado and the Rev. Allison Henn, alliance missionaries in Spain. Alliance missionaries are called by LCMS partner ch...

Where is Lutheranism flourishing in Italy? The Rev. Roy Askins (Managing Director, Editorial and Theological Content with LCMS Communications) joins Andy and Sarah to share a special Lutheran Witness Podcast crossover episode. In this episode, Rev. Askins talks with the Rev. Tyler McMiller, LCMS missionary in Italy, to learn about the work of the Confessional Lutheran Church of Italy (CLCI). McMil...

How do servant leaders in Lutheran schools model leadership for future church workers? The Rev. Mark Bushuiakovish, pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Nashville, TN, joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve Series to talk about his journey into pastoral ministry, how his faith was formed as a child and through Lutheran schools, the servant leaders who served as models through his years...

How can Lutherans faithfully respond to an increasingly pagan society? The Rev. Dr. Matt Richard, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about a recent insightful visit to his local post office and what he witnessed there. He shares what this experience brought to light for him regarding America's spiritual condition, how atheism and spirituality...

Why does worker wellness matter—and how can your congregation get involved in a pilot project to support it? Deaconess Dr. Tiffany Manor (Managing Director of the LCMS Office of National Mission) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why congregational leaders should care about the well-being of church workers. She shares who we consider to be church workers, what “worker wellness” really means, what...