National Lutheran Schools Week was January 26-31, and we're celebrating with conversations featuring teachers and students! In Part 1, we hear from Principal Andy Spieler and students Paylin and Cade from Immanuel Lutheran School in Perryville, MO, who share their favorite things about Immanuel in Perryville. Then, hear from teacher Joseph Meador (Strings, Choir, and Band Director, and Theology Teacher) and students Kylie and Andrew from Metro East Lutheran High School in Edwardsville, IL, about what they love about MELHS and their plans for after high school. Learn more: Immanuel Lutheran in Perryville: ilsperryville.org Metro East Lutheran High School: melhs.org LCMS School Ministry: lcms.org/how-we-serve/education/elementary-schools National Lutheran Schools Week: resources.lcms.org/reading-study/national-lutheran-schools-week-resources As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

On the Epiphany of Our Lord (January 6), we followed the Wise Men as they brought gifts (Matthew 2:11) predicted by the Old Testament (Isaiah 60:6) to Jesus, “He who has been born king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2). The Wise Men even found Christ using the Old Testament: at first, through the fulfilled prophecy of Numbers 24:15–19 concerning a star and a king’s scepter in Israel; ultimately, through the fulfillment of Micah 5’s words about the Good Shepherd of Judah being born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2–5). And not only does the whole Bible reveal Jesus as King, it also shows that He is God’s Prophet, one like — yet greater than! — Moses. Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the “Searching Scripture” feature in the February 2025 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “The Prophet Like Moses” on Deuteronomy 18:15–19. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Opening the Old Testament” and will walk through ways that the Old Testament witnesses to Jesus Christ and His grace, mercy and peace, delivered through the holy Christian church. Follow along every month and search Scripture with us! Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

What is Free Will and how do we understand conversion? 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 what "free will" means, how we are converted, heresies surrounding free will, the role of God's Word in conversion, and where we find this in Scripture. Find the full reading plan from The Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org/2024/reading-plan, and find correlating Concord Matters episodes at kfuo.org/formulaofconcord. February | Free Will WEEK 1: Ep II 1 (p. 477) AC XVIII (p. 40–41) WEEK 2: Ep II 2–6 (p. 477–478) Ap XVIII (p. 197–198) WEEK 3: SD II 48–73 (p. 529–533) WEEK 4: Ep II 7–19 (p. 478–479) As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

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 church workers, how they use relationships, opportunities, and invitations to encourage children in the faith, and the roles of other church workers and parents in their approach. Learn more about the Set Apart to Serve Initiative at lcms.org/setaparttoserve. This episode originally aired on March 8, 2024. Christ’s church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need church workers. Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. Together, we pray for workers for the Kingdom of God and encourage children to consider church work vocations. Here are three easy ways you can participate in SAS: 1. Pray with your children for God to provide church workers. 2. Talk to your children about becoming church workers. 3. Thank God for the people who work in your congregation. To learn more about Set Apart to Serve, visit lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve.

How does Doxology serve church workers? Dr. Beverly Yahnke (Executive Director for Christian Counsel with Doxology) and the Rev. David Fleming (Executive Director for Spiritual Care with Doxology) join Andy to talk about the story of Doxology, the need for their services and spiritual care today, Doxology's continued service to the church, and how Doxology creates a culture of care for workers who can then faithfully carry out their given ministry. Learn more about Doxology at Doxology.us. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

How can we show love to our neighbors through acts of mercy? Deaconess Dr. Tiffany Manor (Managing Director, LCMS Office of National Mission), the Rev. Dr. Brian Heller (Manager of LCMS Specialized Spiritual Care Ministry), and the Rev. Andy Becker (Manager of Family Discipleship) join Andy and Sarah to talk about the Mercy: Love Throughout Life conference happening March 14-15, 2025. They discuss why this conference is so timely, the variety of topics the conference will cover, who this conference is for (everyone!), and the unique in-person + online hybrid format. Learn more and register at calendar.lcms.org/event/mercy-love-throughout-life-conference-2025. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

How does Concordia University Wisconsin's Hesed Transition Program serve adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities? Professor Kelly Osowski (Director, Hesed Transition Program at Concordia University Wisconsin) and Kathy Loveless (parent of Noah, current Hesed student at CUW) join Andy and Sarah to share Kathy and Noah's story, Noah's educational journey and his parents' hopes for him, what the Hesed program is and how it serves students, and how this program changes the lives of students like Noah. Learn more about the Hesed Program, including admission requirements, at cuw.edu/admissions/hesed-admissions/index.html. Read more stories about the Hesed Program at blog.cuw.edu/cuws-hesed-transition-program-introduces-new-director and reporter.lcms.org/2025/cuw-hesed-program. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

Why and how does the Church write new hymnody? The Rev. Dr. Jon Vieker, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Practical Theology, and Dean of Chapel at Concordia Seminary in St Louis, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why authors are still writing new hymnody (because we can always have more), what we learn about our church forefathers from our hymnody, if hymn writing has changed over the centuries, how hymns shape who we are and what we believe, and what happens at the annual Prevallet Hymn Writing Workshop. Learn more and register at csl.edu/event/prevallet-hymn-writing-workshop-2025. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

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 the Regents do for the good of the Seminary. Christ’s church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need church workers. Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. Together, we pray for workers for the Kingdom of God and encourage children to consider church work vocations. Here are three easy ways you can participate in SAS: 1. Pray with your children for God to provide church workers. 2. Talk to your children about becoming church workers. 3. Thank God for the people who work in your congregation. To learn more about Set Apart to Serve, visit lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

How does Grace Point Institute for Relational Health serve the church and her members? The Rev. Dr. Mark Hannemann, MDiv, DMin, LMHP, LPC, CLC (Co-founder and President of Grace Point Institute for Relational Health) joins Andy to discuss why Grace Point was founded, the services it offers, where these services are needed today, how Grace Point serves locally, and how it fosters a culture of care for ministry workers. Learn more about Grace Point Institute for Relational Health at relationalhealth.org. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

What is Team Flex, and how do they serve at the LCMS Youth Gathering? Leslie Sullivan (Team Flex Manager) and Danny Swafford (Team Flex Leadership) join Andy and Sarah to talk about their roles on Team Flex, how Team Flex serves at the LCMS Youth Gathering, responsibilities they and others have on Team Flex, and how to apply to serve in this way. The application deadline is April 30! Learn more and apply at lcmsgathering.com/volunteer/#TeamFlex. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].