When you think of the ministry of welcome at a church, who comes to mind? We hope a whole lot of people. But we wanted to hear from our Administrative Secretary, Barb Rolfes, who if often the first face of Augustana. In this conversation between Barb and Deaconess Claire, we hope you notice how the welcome of one couple in one congregation changed everything for Barb. We hope Barb's story can be an inspiration about the power of welcoming the stranger no matter who they are or where they've been. You never know the ripple effects a true and deep welcome can have.

During Vacation Bible School (VBS) in 2025, we learned a whole bunch of water stories, each story invited us to dive deeply into a biblical theme. The theme of Welcome came from the story of Lydia in Acts 16. The sermon on this theme is from Sunday, July 13: "Let's Take the Detour."