All Saints’ Day for Children

Guest Rev. Jared Melius, pastor of Mount Zion Lutheran Church in Denver, Colorado, speaks about what All Saints’ Day is in our Lutheran tradition and how to talk with children about the saints who have gone before us. What do we as Lutherans mean when we talk about "saints"? Do people become angels when they die, and do their bodies disappear? Rev. Melius address these things and how to talk with children about heaven and eternal life.

Divine Service with the Church Triumphant

Guest Paul Soulek, cantor at St. John’s Lutheran Church and School in Seward, Nebraska, talks about how the divine service connects to the Church Triumphant. Paul explains how the texts of the hymns in the "Church Triumphant" section of the LSB are significant for Lutherans to understand. These texts beautifully illustrate worship on earth and looking forward to eternal life in heaven. Paul also digs into the parts of the liturgy that talk about worshiping with angels and archangels, and how our liturgy is the eternal song of the church.

International Lutheran Society of Wittenberg

Kristin Lange, career missionary to Germany and managing director for the International Lutheran Society of Wittenberg, joins us from Wittenberg to talk about The Wittenberg Project. Looking forward to next year’s 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, Kristin manages projects including the day-to-day operations of the Old Latin School, programs for tours and visitors, and preparations for festivals for next year’s "World Reformation Exhibition" celebration. Learn more about The Wittenberg Project at thewittenbergproject.org and the Old Latin School at oldlatinschool.org. Learn more about Kristin at lcms.org/kristin.lange.

Reflection Upon Visiting Wittenberg

Guests Rev. Bruce & Christine Keseman and Rev. Ross & Deaconess Mireya Johnson talk about their recent journey to Germany and reflect upon visiting historic Lutheran sites in Wittenberg and other places in Germany. The Kesemans and Johnsons talk about their extraordinary experiences and what they’re excited to share with their friends and congregations. Learn more about the 2017 Lutheran Reformation Tour at lutheranreformation.org/get-involved/2017-germany-tour.

Rev. Dale and Suzanne Kaster: Serving the Lord in Ghana, West Africa

Guests Rev. Dale and Suzanne Kaster talk about life as career missionaries in Ghana, West Africa. Learn more about the Kasters, including prayer requests and birthdays, at lcms.org/kaster.

Rev. Nathan and Sarah Esala: LBT Missionaries in Ghana, West Africa

Rev. Nathan and Sarah Esala spent many years in Ghana, West Africa, as missionaries with Lutheran Bible Translators. Right now they are back in the States, and we took the opportunity to talk with Sarah Esala about what life is like in Ghana as a missionary. Learn more about Nathan and sarah’s work in Ghana on LBT’s website us.lbt.org/project/rev-nathan-sarah-esala. Learn more about the Esalas work as missionaries on their website esalas.org.

Eyes of Life: Sabrina & Nathan Montgomery

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and guest host Sarah Gulseth talks with Sabrina and Nathan Montgomery about the story they shared with the LCMS Eyes of Life Campaign about their son Brody. Learn more about their story at eyesoflife.org/sabrina. Find out more about Down Syndrome, including the Buddy Walk, at ndss.org.

Ghosts: Dearly Departed or Dangerous Demons?

Guest Rev. Dr. Robert H. Bennett, Executive Director of the Luther Academy and author of Afraid: Demon possession and spiritual warfare in America, talks about the dangerous world of demons. We live in a world where ghosts and spirits are often downplayed as not eternally dangerous in films and literature. Rev. Bennett talks about what the scriptures say about communicating with demons and the dangers that those conjurings can create. Learn more about Luther Academy at lutheracademy.com and find Dr. Bennet’s book on cph.org.

Health Care Open Enrollment

It’s Healthcare Open Enrollment season, and the thought of digging into insurance plans can be quite daunting. Guests Andrew Fondow, Director of Healthcare and Ancillary Products for Concordia Plan Services, and Shawn Sisti, Vice President of AmWINS, talk about insurance options, how to determine what is best for you and your family, and how to be a good steward of your health care dollars. Andrew and Shawn also talk specifically about Medicare and how to navigate the different Medicare plans. Find Medicare resources at medicare.gov. Many states also have local websites to compare medical costs and quality so you can find the best care for the right price. In St. Louis, that website is choosewellstl.org.

Why the First Year of Marriage is So Hard

Deaconess Heidi Goehmann with Grace Place Wellness, as well as a writer, wife, and mom, talks about why the first year of marriage is so hard. The Bible clearly talks about a man leaving his father and mother in order to be one flesh with his wife, and that leaving and cleaving process is much harder than many of us realize! Combining two different ways of doing chores, two different personalities, two different wills, can be filled with angst when lines of communication and forgiveness become shut off. Deaconess Heidi talks about how to work through those times together in prayer. Find her writing and Bible studies at ilovemyshepherd.com.

National Blue Ribbon School: Immanuel St. Charles

Diana Meers, Principal of Immanuel Lutheran School in St. Charles, MO, talks about the honor of being named a National Blue Ribbon School. This is the second time Immanuel has earned this honor, the first time being in 1990. Read more about this Blue Ribbon honor at immanuelstcharles.org/school/blue.

Lutheran Young Adult Corps

Guest Julianna Shults, program manager for the Lutheran Young Adult Corps for the LCMS Office of National Mission, joins guest host Sarah Gulseth to talk about all of the exciting things coming up in 2017. With an emphasis on faith, service, and community, Lutheran Young Adult Corps provides long-term service opportunities in communities of need for young adults out of high school, throughout their college career or before full-time work, especially for young people in transition. Lutheran Young Adult Corps gives participants a chance to witness to their faith through acts of mercy, making a difference in the lives of the people they serve. Learn more about Lutheran Young Adult Corps and register for a servant program at lcms.org/yacorps.

Down Syndrome Awareness Month

Guests Matt and Michelle Simpson, talk about life as parents of a child with Down Syndrome. They talk about the challenges, joys, blessings and all of the things they’ve learned over the years. Learn more about Down Syndrome with the National Down Syndrome Society at ndss.org.

Bible Journaling & Visual Faith

Guest Connie Denninger joins guest host Sarah Gulseth to talk about visual faith, specifically Bible journaling. Many people are visual learners and understand ideas and concepts better when they are presented or digested visually. Bible journaling takes that idea and applies it to our faith. It can be as simple as writing sermon notes next to the text in your Bible, or drawing colorful pictures that relate to the passages you’re meditating on. Find CPH’s Lutheran Study Bible Journal Edition at cph.org. View more of Connie’s work and insight at constancedenninger.blogspot.com.

National Retirement Security Week

Guest Mark Borchert, Director of Retirement Products and Services for Concordia Plan Services, joins guest host Sarah Gulseth to talk about why retirement saving is so important and how to go about saving. It’s important to have options when you retire, and setting goals early on can help you have those options.

Kids Health & Bike Safety

Guests Rev. Glen Thomas, Lynn McCain, Libby Anvender, and Debbie Esker talk about kids health and bike safety. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church located at 12345 Manchester Rd. in Des Peres, MO, is holding a Health Fair on Saturday, October 22, 10:00am-2:00pm. Activities for adults and children will include My First Duathlon, Helmet Check by Children’s Hospital, Flu Shots, a wide variety of health screens, Jazzercise Demo, Blood Drive, a variety of health and fitness vendors, snacks, and more. Pastors will be available for conversation and private prayer with any who desire. To register for the Duathlon, call 314-822-0447 or stpaulsdesperes.org. To register for the helmet checks, call 314-454-KIDS. Learn more about the health fair at stpaulsdesperes.org/#/events/community-health-fair.

Rev. Glen Thomas is Pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School, Des Peres. Lynn McCain is a teacher at St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Des Peres. Libby Anvender is Community Education Instructor for St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Debbie Esker is an Advanced Practice Nurse and Chair of the St. Paul Des Peres Health Fair Task Force. Special Guest Sarah Haskins, Olympic triathlete, will be handing out medals for the kids at the Duathlon.

Nutrition, Exercise, and Life in Christ after Cancer

Karen Tripp, MS LMFT, President of Cancer Companions, and Keith Whittemore, Cancer Survivor serving on the Board for Cancer Companions and Emcee for the Cancer Companions Retreat, talk about how nutrition and exercise play a role in life after cancer. Cancer Companions trains volunteers at churches how to run Christian cancer support groups. Learn more about the ministry at cancer-companions.org.

The Cancer Survivorship Retreat: Building a New Life with Fitness, Food and Faith will be Friday- Saturday, November 4th - 5th, at the Mercy Conference and Retreat Center located at 2039 N. Geyer Road in St. Louis. Register for the retreat at cancer-companions.org/survivorship-retreat.

Go Take a Hike (It’s Good for You!)

Steve "QD" Johnson, Executive Director of Lutheran Valley Retreat in Woodland Park, CO, talks about the benefits of hiking for various aspects of life. Hiking can improve physical and mental health, as well as build stronger family relationships. Steve also talks about how to prepare for a hike and how to find the proper gear for the best experience. For more information about Lutheran Valley Retreat, visit lvr.org.

Thriving as a Seminary Wife

Guests Celina Haupt, Women’s Coordinator at Concordia Seminary St. Louis, Kelsey Fink, 2nd year wife, and Stephanie Jones, 4th year wife, talk about how to thrive as a seminary wife. Transitioning from college or work life, to seminary, to vicarage, back to seminary, and then into life as a pastor’s wife is a crazy and exciting time. Our seminaries have programs and tools to help seminary wives survive and thrive in their changing environment.