The Lutheran Ladies' Lounge from KFUO Radio

It’s an Adventure in Lutheranism for the whole family, as Rachel takes the Ladies on an epic vicarious vacation to Camp Arcadia on the coast of Lake Michigan. From the pros (Scenery! Bible study! Family dodgeball!) to the cons (Open tabs! Shared bathrooms!) and everything in between, Rachel spills the beans on what it’s like to be a forty-something mother of four living the dream at Lutheran summe...

Happy third anniversary to the Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge podcast! To commemorate the festive occasion, Sarah, Erin, Bri, and Rachel throw an audio Arch Book party, spotlighting Concordia Publishing House’s classic series of picture book Bible stories as they try their hands at writing their own rhyming Bible narratives. The only trouble? Nearly all the obvious Bible stories have already been made in...

It’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and to celebrate, Sarah’s leading a special Hymn Sing episode on Himnario Luterano, the new Lutheran hymnal for the Spanish-speaking world. This episode features information and anecdotes from key figures involved in the creation of this comprehensive worship resource, including the Rev. Ted Krey (Regional Director for LCMS International Mission, Latin America and Car...

In this excerpt from their September 9 book club recap episode, the Ladies announce their next pick for the Lutheran Ladies’ Book Club: Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead: A Novel. From the publisher: “John Ames is a preacher, the son of a preacher and the grandson (both maternal and paternal) of preachers. It’s 1956 in Gilead, Iowa, towards the end of the Reverend Ames’s life, and he is absorbed in reco...

In this Lutheran Ladies’ Book Club recap episode, Rachel leads Sarah, Erin, and Bri in a warm and enthusiastic discussion of Edna Hong’s Bright Valley of Love, “the true story of a handicapped child who finds a haven of love in the nightmare of Nazi Germany.” Where does true joy come from? What ultimately makes a human life worth living? How does God's grace free us to live fully in the moment? Wh...

September is “back-to-school” season for young people in general—and “back-to-Sunday-School” season for many young Lutherans in particular. In this latest “Adventure in Lutheranism,” the Ladies tackle that venerable (though not universal) Protestant Sunday-school tradition: Rally Day, which gathers children and families back after a summer away for the launch of the new Sunday school year. Bri lea...

Few Lutherans have never laid eyes on a Portals of Prayer devotional booklet, yet how much do you know about its 87-year history? In this "Story Time with Sarah" episode, Sarah presents original primary source research on these timeless devotional booklets commissioned in 1935 by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States to provide members of the Synod with short daily dev...

Zucchini. It’s affordable, easy to grow, deliciously versatile, and freakishly prolific. And this time of year, it’s absolutely everywhere.  But what’s a chef to do when the zucchini threatens to take over? Where can you turn when you find yourself buried in thigh-sized summer vegetables?  Never fear! The Lutheran Ladies are here to help, with an Iron Ladle Challenge all about zucchini. From Bri’s...

In this time of inflation, what better way to process rising prices and supply chain failures than with Bri’s Radio Theatre. In five brief comedy sketches inspired by Dave Ramsey’s popular Financial Peace University program, Bri and the Ladies explore fiscal responsibility and ways to spend wisely during tight financial times. While Financial Peace has great merit to bring people out of debt, Bri...

In her latest Trivia Challenge, Rachel's taking Sarah, Erin, and Bri on the "Ultimate Lutheran Road Trip," spotlighting major Lutheran cultural and historical sites around the US. Play along at home as the Ladies' test their Lutheran-specific geographical knowledge, from north to south, sea to shining corn field. To learn more about the locations mentioned in the episode, check out the following:...

Jessie Bell is a Navy chaplain spouse, homeschool mother of four, and the creative entrepreneur behind the Concordia Collective line of “fun Lutheran merch”—including its signature Family Lectionary. In this “Conversations with Creatives” episode, Jessie talks with the ladies about growing up as a third culture missionary kid, supporting (and being supported by) her chaplain husband, raising kids...

More than 20,000 Lutheran high school students, leaders, and volunteers recently attended the LCMS Youth Gathering in Houston, Texas, and in this Adventures in Lutheranism conversation, Sarah, Erin, and Bri get the inside scoop from one young Lutheran lady in particular. Rachel yields her spot at the mic to her 17-year-old daughter Elanor, who shares the highs and lows of her time in Houston. From...

Aunts and Uncles Day is celebrated in the United States on July 26, and in this Wild Card episode, Bri celebrates the unique and God-given vocation of aunt. Beginning with each Lady’s personal account of aunthood, the conversation goes on to cover the deep love an aunt shares with her nieces and nephews, the opportunity aunts have to provide spiritual nurture and encouragement to the young people...

Kelly (Schumacher) Uffenbeck is a painter, teacher, and the dynamic creative force behind Agnus Dei Liturgical Arts. In this “Conversations with Creatives” episode, she talks honestly about life, craft, business, faith, and what it really takes to be a professional artist in the world today. Click to learn more about Kelly (Schumacher) Uffenbeck and Agnus Dei Liturgical Arts, find Kelly on Faceboo...

Hymns for the Nation, or Patriotic Songs? Or both? As Americans are celebrating Independence Day, Lutherans once again consider the worth of hymns and songs that focus on God’s gift of land and government. Within the context of our Two Realms (or Two Kingdoms) theology, Sarah considers the hymns found in the “Nation and National Songs” section of the Lutheran Service Book, along with some popular...

In this craft-tastic Wild Card episode, Bri loves and celebrates (to bits and pieces, in some cases) the Lutheran cultural phenomenon that is the Thrivent “Live Generously” T-shirt. These “buttery-soft” T-shirts, which typically arrive in bulk with a Thrivent Action Teams Grant, are famously comfortable. They are also notoriously abundant—an unsurprising reality given the number of service project...

In this excerpt from their June 17 book club recap episode, the Ladies announce their next pick for the Lutheran Ladies’ Book Club: Edna Hong's Bright Valley of Love. From the publisher: "In this stirring and true story, Gunther, a handicapped and neglected child born in Germany during World War I, finds a new home at Bethel, a Christian community for the physically and mentally impaired. At Bethe...

In this Lutheran Ladies’ Book Club recap episode, Rachel leads Sarah, Erin, and Bri in a lively and wide-ranging discussion of John Kleinig’s Wonderfully Made: A Protestant Theology of the Body. What kinds of things can go amiss in our lives when we have an improper or incomplete theological understanding of the body? How does a solidly biblical theology of the body help us better think through wh...

In a shocking break with convention, the Lutheran Ladies welcome a man (GASP!) into the Lounge as they introduce a new segment called Kitchen Table Talk, inspired by Martin Luther’s famous Reformation “table talk” conversations with his students. In this debut episode, Rev. Sean Daenzer offers wise and friendly counsel on the theological hot topic of original sin. What does it mean that human bein...

It's a new Iron Ladle Challenge, and this time, the Ladies are tackling cookout side dishes! Rachel begins with a rhapsodic ode to a Midwest classic: ramen noodle slaw. Sarah experiments with a new allergy- and intolerance-friendly medley of roasted veggies, and offers a bonus recipe for homemade sparkling ginger soda. Erin brings to the table a pair of vintage family recipes--for sour cream bean...

Just in time for Armed Forces Sunday, Memorial Day, and Military Appreciation Month, Sarah tells the story of American military chaplaincy in general and LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces in particular. Beginning with George Washington and the Revolutionary War and continuing through the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and later conflicts, this Story Time episode shines a spotlight on the wo...

Across the LCMS, consecrated deaconesses share Christ's love through works of mercy, spiritual care, administration, and teaching. Yet many Lutherans remain largely uninformed about who these professional church workers are and how they serve. In this One Question Interview, Deaconess Sarah Longmire begins with one big question (What even is a deaconess?), before satisfying the Ladies' curiosity o...

In her latest “Big Question” conversation, Bri tackles one of the major conundrums of contemporary culture: What is cancel culture? And, more importantly: How can Lutherans best respond to this painful and contentious new reality? The Ladies begin by defining basic terms before diving into how the Bible and the Lutheran confessions may apply. They then explore several practical implications: Can a...

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” These familiar words from Psalm 23 and John 10 have been cherished by Christians throughout the ages for the deep comfort they bring. Also beloved are the hymns inspired by them—and it is these “Good Shepherd” hymns that are the focus in this Easter season Hymn Sing with Sarah...

Recently, more and more Lutheran women have expressed curiosity in the ancient Christian practice of female head covering. In this wildest of Wild Card episodes, Rachel delves deeply into the history and meaning of veiling, examining the New Testament and its cultural context, the teachings of the Early Church Fathers, the Medieval art traditions, Luther’s writings, the Lutheran Confessions, and o...