Pastor Andy comes to you on Mother's Day weekend with a message entitled, "It's All About Faith," based on Galatians 1:13-17 and 2:11-21.  Peace and joy to you on this beautiful spring weekend.

The podcast of Pastor Andy Smith, St. John's Lutheran Church (ELCA), Lakeville, MN.  This is the Fifth Sunday after Easter podcast on Acts 15:1-18, the story of the Council at Jerusalem.  The title is, "To God Alone the Glory."  Pr. Andy zeroes in on the "gateway" into the Christian faith and the Church:  the grace of God in Christ.  Grace is God's gift of unconditional, undeserved love and is all that is needed to grow in faith, be part of the Church, and be given our ultimate purpose in life:  to glorify God.  All are included and all are welcome!

Following the story of Phillip and the eunuch in Acts 8:25-40, Pastor Andy talks about the joy of our Easter faith as people whose life purpose is to glorify God.  He reads a poem by Rev. Ted Loder entitled, "I Praise You for This Resurrection Madness" and asks you to find it at www.sjlcl.org by pressing the Easter Season Toolkit button there and scrolling in the .pdf to the April 25 information.  God's love to you on this last weekend of April.

This week, Pastor Andy takes on the story of the earliest Christian community and the persecution they experienced in advancing Jesus' gospel of inclusion for all people, redemption of sinners, the calling out of injustice and evil, most notably seen in the stoning of Stephen.  It is Acts 6:1-7:60.  The sermon is entitled, "Wait Three Days."

On a glorious Second Sunday of Easter weekend, the Road to Emmaus story from Luke 24:13-35 is unpacked by Pastor Andy.  Listen at the end for some good "homework," which you'll find at www.sjlcl.org at the "Easter Season Toolkit" button.  Click on it, scroll down, and find the Apr. 11 information, including the story, "The Ragman."  Blessings this weekend, dear friends in the risen Christ!

Happy Easter!  Pr. Andy celebrates the most important Christian day of the year around Luke 24:1-12.  Today's sermon is called, "We Need An 'Aggressive' Easter."  Welcome to this podcast and to our worship together of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ.  Christ is risen!  He is risen, indeed!  Alleluia!

Palm Sunday 2021 "Altar Echo" podcast.  Pastor Andy celebrates this day that begins Holy Week and beckons us to not leave Jesus during His walk to His last supper, the cross of His crucifixion, and His burial.  Easter awaits in a week, but not before the crowds acclaim Him today as Messiah and he experiences Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.  Altar Echo is a podcast of St. John's Church (ELCA) in Lakeville, MN.  Andy Smith is Senior Pastor.

In Episode #3, Pr. Andy speaks on Luke 18:31-19:10.  Title is:  "Confession, Correction, and Re-Connection:  Being a Servant."  Mar. 21, 2021, Altar Echo for the 5th Sunday in Lent. 

St. John's Lutheran Church (ELCA)

Lakeville, MN

Pastor Andy Smith

Episode taped on Mar. 17, 2021

This week's Focus Reading is Luke 16:19-31, the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  Here, Pr. Andy discusses this reading in light of the topic for the week, "Confession, Correction, and Re-Connection:  Greed."  This is the Fourth Sunday in Lent and is the official kick-off weekend of this podcast.  Blessings!

 

St. John's Lutheran Church (ELCA)

Lakeville, MN

Pastor Andy Smith

Mar. 14, 2021

Altar Echo is the podcast of the Sermon of the Week from St John's Church (ELCA) in Lakeville, MN.  Senior Pastor is Andy Smith.  This week's episode is the "soft opening" of the podcast and, as such, will constitute Episode 1.

 

The gospel reading is Luke 15:1-32.

 

The sermon is entitled, "Confession, Correction, and Re-Connection:  Pride"