Together 4 Good: Making Sense of Life and Faith

Pastor Nate sits down with his sister Elisabeth and long-time friend Josef, to talk about a shared passion: The Enneagram.   The Enneagram is a personality typing system that can be used as a tool to help people better understand themselves and their relationships.  As Josef, Elisabeth, and Nate will discuss, it is a powerful tool that has some real application for spiritual growth...

In this episode: A recording of Pastor Nate’s full sermon from 7/25/21, based on John 6:1-21.

Pastor Nate talks with his long-time friend, Nick Stroczkowski about Growing Youth, a new and emerging Youth Ministry Philosophy.  Nick is the Director of Lutheran Youth Western New York, a conference-wide youth ministry program that serves youth and adults in the Western New York area.  Part of Nick's recent work has been implementing and training individuals on the concepts described i...

In this episode: A recording of Pastor Gary’s full sermon from 7/18/21, based on readings from Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Mark 6:30-34, 53-56.

In this episode, Pastor Nate talks with his friend, Rev Joey Klinger (Pastor, Redemption Lutheran Church, Philadelphia).  Pastor Joey is passionate about liturgical worship and shares some great insights into why the form of our worship services is so important AND why worship itself is such an essential practice of our faith. 

In this episode, Pastor Nate invites his friend Rev Matthew Nickoloff to talk about the importance of spiritual practices.  Matthew is the pastor and mission developer at The South Wedge Mission in Rochester, NY.   Listen in to Nate and Matthew's long conversation covering a wide array of topics that are core to a Lutheran understanding of the walk of faith.  

This episode features a recording of Pastor Nate's sermon from July 4, 2021 it is based on the Gospel passage assigned for that Sunday from Mark 6:1-13. 

In the final installment of our 4 part series on the Stories of Bethany, Pastor Gary looks at the story of Christ's Ascension.  This final event in Jesus' earthly life took place at Bethany, and so we wonder together about what it means to be Bethany Lutheran Church; a church named after this town where Christ's Ascension took place.  

This episode features a recording of Pastor Gary's sermon from June 27, 2021.  It is based on readings from Mark 5:21-43. 

We continue our series of Bible Studies focused on the town of Bethany.  In this episode Pastor Gary dives into the story of Mary and Martha, which can be found in Luke 10:38-42.  

Pastor Gary's sermon from June 20, 2021 is based on readings from Job 38:1-11 and Mark 4:26-34.

This Bible Study episode looks at the story of Mary anointing Jesus with perfume (found in John 12).  This is the next installment of a new series of podcasts where we will look at stories from scripture that took place at Bethany.  So much happens in this small town outside of Jerusalem and so we will be exploring these stories of scripture and thinking about what it means to be a churc...

This is a recording of the sermon preached by Pastor Gary on June 13, 2021.  It is based on the texts from Ezekiel 17:22-24 and Mark 4:26-34.

This sermon was preached on July 11th as part of Bethany's All-Star Sunday celebration.  Pastor Gary and Pastor Nate spend time looking at John 3:1-17 and all the "Bible All-Stars" voted on by the Bethany members.  The sermon provides some details about all the Bible Al Stars and explores the question of "what makes an All-Star, in God's eyes".   The All-Star Lineup: Favorite King -...

This Bible Study episode looks at the story of Lazurus being raised from the dead (found in John 11).  This is part of a new series of podcasts where we will look at stories from scripture that took place at Bethany.  So much happens in this small town outside of Jerusalem and so we will be exploring these stories of scripture and thinking about what it means to be a church named after t...

Pastor Nate's sits down with his two oldest children, Evelyn (age 9), and Solomon (age 7), to talk about their experience at Bethany Day Camp this past week.  They share their insights and observations about the different themes of the day and even share some of their favorite songs from the week.  

Due to a flight cancellation, Pastor Nate was not able to be at Bethany on Sunday 6/27 but he had already written a sermon. So, here is that never before heard sermon that would have been delivered on 6/27.

In this PRAYER AND STUDY episode, we take time to dwell deeply in God's Word. Through readings, reflections, prayers, and music we will meditate on Psalm 8.  Take 15 quiet minutes to pray, study, and grow in your sense of God's activity in your life and the world around you.

Our assigned Gospel reading for this coming Sunday is Mark 5:23-41, so Pastor Nate has prepared an in-depth look at this great dual-story fromMark’s gospel.

In this episode, Pastor Nate talks with his friend, Father Joseph Wolyniak.  Joseph is the Associate Rector at Christ Church Denver, an Episcopal congregation right around the corner from Bethany Lutheran Church.   Joseph has a strong interest in the Church Fathers, those early Christian writers, and pastors who guided the church in its infancy.  Joseph shares his passion for t...

The assigned Gospel reading for this coming Sunday (6/20) is Mark 4:35-41.  In this episode, Pastor Nate takes us through the finer details of this story of Jesus calming the sea and explains how this passage plays an important role in the longer narrative that Mark is unfolding in his Gospel.  

In this episode, Pastor Nate has an extended conversation with his friend Abby Johnson.  Abby is a recent graduate of United Lutheran Seminary, earning a Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Environmental Theology.  Abby shares her understanding of this specialized theology and how her life experiences led her to connect her love of nature with the very character of God. &nb...

This episode is a recording of the sermon from 6/6/21 preached by Pastor Nate.  It is based on Mark 3:20-35.

In this episode, Pastor Nate sits down with his long-time friend Tyler Hauger.  Tyler is the Information and Project Advisor at The Karibu Foundation in Oslo, Norway.  Tyler talks to us about the strange road that led him to this work and the ways that our life of faith is inherently connected to lifting up the voices of the vulnerable.  

In preparation for this Sunday's sermon, Pastor Nate shares a deep dive on Mark 3:20-35.  This will be the Gospel reading for Sunday 6/6/21 - so listen here first in preparation for Sunday's sermon!