Altar Echo | Sermon of the Week Podcast: Recent Episodes
prandylcc
In the Lutheran tradition, worship revolves around Word (proclaimed at the pulpit) and Sacrament (shared at the baptismal font and the altar). The Word of God and the sermon are the echo of the sacraments' grace and promise in Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Altar Echo is Pastor Andy Smith's weekly sermon podcast from St. John's Church, Lakeville, MN. PA is a pastor in the ELCA tradition of Lutheran Christianity. He is a progressive thinker and theologian. And, once in a while, his Minne-soota accent sneaks in. Love God and your neighbor more as you listen to Altar Echo. Soli Deo gloria.
Listen to Pastor Kim's sermon for March 10 on John 3:14-22, including the infamous John 3:16. God sent Jesus to save, not to condemn, but what about us? Do we attempt to use Jesus' message to save or to condemn?
Listen to Pastor Eric's sermon for March 3 on Jesus flipping tables and driving animals out of the temple from John 2:13-22. What does it mean for something to be "sacred space"? How do we practice that?
Altar Echo is back! Listen to Pastor Eric's sermon on Jesus' baptism on Mark 1:4-11. What is baptism for Jesus and for us today? What kind of invitation do we receive and claim in baptism?
Pastor Eric preaches on Matthew 25:31-46, inviting us to consider, "Where Do You Look for Jesus?"
Pastor Kim preaches on Matthew 22:15-22, and invites you to reflect: what do we give to God? God calls us to give our whole selves and our whole lives!
Pastor Eric preaches on Matthew 22:1-14. How does our faith impact what kind of attitudes and dispositions we "wear" in life? Peace be with you today!
Join Pastor Kim for a message on Matthew 21: 33-46, and Jesus' jarring but clear message about God's great compassion toward us, and our response of producing the fruits of the kingdom. Peace be with you!
Pastor Eric preaches on Matthew 21:23-32 and Jesus' invitation to "Make the Turn." Peace be with you!
Listen to Matthew 18:21-25 and Pastor Eric's message about forgiveness. What does the practice of real forgiveness actually look like in the life of faith?
Join Pastor Eric for a message on Matthew 16:21-28 as we consider what life with God can look like. Peace be with you and may this message be a blessing to your faith!
Join Pastor Kim for a message on Matthew 16:13-20, to explore Jesus' question: "Who do YOU say that I am?" We living in a dynamic relationship with the living God; how do our beliefs fuel how we portray Jesus as church and in the world? Peace to you!
Pastor Kim preaches a sermon about being ok when Jesus' words startle us or make us uncomfortable. Jesus models what it looks like to do better when you know better. How can we follow and do likewise in faith? Peace to you!
Altar Echo Podcast is back! Join Pastor Kim for a message on Matthew 14: Jesus and Peter walk on water. How do you handle fear in your life and faith? How does Jesus respond to our fear? Peace be with you!
Join Pastor Kim to hear Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 and for a message on Jesus' invitation to rest. Can you lay down the heavy burdens you've been carrying with Jesus? May you find rest today!
Join Pastor Kim for a message on Matthew 10:40-42, considering Jesus' directions and encouragements to his disciples about extending welcome to others and about being welcomed. Welcome each one as though it is Jesus himself!
Join Pastor Kim for a sermon on Matthew 9: Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors, and Jesus healing a woman and a child. This conversation invites us to explore the wellbeing Jesus desires for us and for the whole world. Click here to access the Wholeness Wheel mentioned in today's podcast episode.
Join Pastor Kim for a sermon on Matthew 28: the Great Commission. As you listen, consider your own discipleship. How are you encouraging discipleship in others? How does your discipleship continue to grow?
Join Pastor Kim for a message for Pentecost from John 20, with the sending of the Holy Spirit who sends us to be the church in the world for peace. God's peace to you this Memorial Day weekend!
Join Pastor Andy on his last Sunday in full-time ordained ministry. He is preaching on Jesus' prayer for the unity of the Church, of all Christ's disciples, so the witness to Christ's unifying grace and love can be witnessed to the world. God bless you!
Join Pastor Kim for Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit to be our Advocate. God bless you this Mother's Day weekend.
Join Pastor Andy for his message entitled, "Spittin' Image," on John 14:1-14. God bless you and keep you this May weekend.
Join Pastor Kim as she dives into the beautiful 10th chapter of the gospel of John, Jesus' "I am the good shepherd" promise!
Join Pastor Andy as he talks about the beautiful Emmaus Road story in Luke 24:13-35. God bless you during this Easter season!
Join Pastor Kim as she explains the famous story of Doubting Thomas. God's Easter season blessings to all of you.
Join Pastor Andy on this Easter weekend around the theme, "The Power and the Glory" and Matthew 28:1-10. Happy and Blessed Easter to all of you!
This weekend is Palm Sunday. We begin the holiest week of the year. Join Pastor Kim as she considers Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem in Matthew 21. God bless you as we continue to stay with our Lord all the way to the cross and to the empty tomb on Easter.
This weekend, Pastor Andy preaches on Jesus' raising of Lazarus from the dead, John 11:17-45. This sermon is entitled, "Farmer Jesus." Join us!
Join Pastor Andy as he helps us think about John 3:1-17 on this Second Sunday in Lent. Nicodemus is the conversation partner with Jesus as Jesus tells him about salvation by grace through Jesus' death and resurrection. May you "Grow in Your Soul" by sharing in this today and this season.
Join Pastor Kim as she helps us get into the season of Lent with our First Sunday in Lent text of Matthew 4:1-11, the temptation of Jesus. God bless you in this important and meaningful season.
Join Pastor Andy on this important Transfiguration Sunday weekend. He looks at Matthew 17:1-9 and talks about Jesus' transfiguration, the disciples' call to take it into their lives with them, and our look ahead to Lent. God bless you!
Join Pastor Kim as she continues through Jesus' injunctions of respecting and making sacred our relationships with each other. Matthew 5:21-37
Join Pastor Andy as he works through the Salt-and-Light passage - Matthew 5:13-20. Be blessed on this winter weekend!
Join Pastor Andy as he discusses Jesus' calling and empowering of the disciples in Matthew 4:12-23, as well as Paul's words to the church in Corinth in I Corinthians 1:10-18. God bless you this week!
Happy New Year, everyone! We at Altar Echo wish you a blessed 2023. Today, Pastor Andy helps us celebration the Baptism of Our Lord Sunday with his message on Matthew 3:13-17, the Baptism of Jesus. Join the podcast today and grow in your faith and in God's grace toward you!
Join Pastor Kim with the first Altar Echo podcast of 2023. She discusses the Second Sunday of Christmas topic around the name of Jesus. God bless you in this new year!
Join Pastor Kim on this Fourth - and last - Sunday of Advent. She digs into Matthew 1 and the story of Jesus' ancestors. God bless you as we come so very near to Christmas.
Join Pastor Andy as he fleshes out Isaiah 35 under the theme, "Hope to Be Transformed by the Beauty of God." God bless you this Third Sunday of Advent weekend.
Join Pastor Andy as he helps usher us into Advent via Isaiah 2:1-5. God bless you in this new church year and meaningful, exciting season.
Join Pastor Kim as she dives further into our experience of thanksgiving and gratitude, this time around Jesus' words in Luke 21 around the challenge of living our faith in a world not always kind of people of faith. God bless you!
Join Pastor Andy on All Saints Sunday weekend as he explores Luke 6:20-31, thankfulness, and the saints. God bless you and keep you!
Join Pastor Andy as he preaches on Luke 18:9-14, the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. It is about the grace of God's forgiveness of us when we step away from our self-righteousness, humbly admit who we are, are forgiven, and expect to change our lives toward ongoing humility and honesty. God bless you this weekend.
Join Pastor Andy as he dives into Luke 18:1-8, the Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge. This week's theme is, "Making Your Hope Count." God bless you and keep you!
Join Pastor Kim as she dives into Jesus telling of the healing of the ten lepers, only one of whom came back to show gratitude. Blessings to you as you live out your faith in our gracious and giving God.
Join Pastor Andy as he discusses faith and the ways we make faith count in our lives, people's lives, and the life of the world. Luke 17:5-10. "Making Your Faith Count."
Join Pastors Andy as they dive into Luke 16:19-31, Jesus' Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man. God bless you.
Join Pastor Andy under today's theme, "Making Your Generosity Count." He dives into Luke 16:1-13, the Parable of the Dishonest Manager. How are you making your generosity count for the glory of God? God bless you in your faithful living.
Join both Pastor Andy and Pastor Kim as they do a joint message today on the theme, "Whatever You Do...Do It All for the Glory of God." God bless you on this Rally Sunday!
Join Pastor Kim today as she helps us transition from the order of Scripture readings we used in Brian McLaren's book to the Revised Common Lectionary that most ELCA churches use. We will follow this lectionary for the coming year. God bless you this Labor Day weekend.
Join Pastor Kim as she circles back to explore the story of the Prodigal Son in the gospel of Luke, as well as Paul's famous words in Rom. 8 about the unconditional and eternal love of God. This is the final chapter in Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking." Thank you for coming along on this journey with us. God bless you and keep you.
Join Pr. Andy as he dives into the beautiful promises from God of Revelation 21:1-8 and 22:16-21. These are part of his sermon entitled, "Spirit of Hope," the same title as Ch. 51 in Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking." Live in faith in God, dear friends, and never give up hope!
He also utilizes the song, "Beautiful Mystery," by Caedmon's Call. You may wish to Google the lyrics.
Join Pastor Kim as she discusses Ch. 49 of Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking." It is another look at life, death, resurrection, and living in the glory of God in God's heaven. God bless you and keep you.
Join Pastor Andy this weekend as he talks about heaven! And about a holy God who is the restorer of all things. Passages include John 14 and I Corinthians 15. God bless you, dear friends!
Join Pastor Kim as she preaches on "The Spirit of Power" from Chapter 48 of Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking." She discusses putting on the whole armor of God, as the Apostle Paul challenges us. God bless you this day!
Join Pastor Andy as he talks about conspiring with the Holy Spirit in the hope of God's overarching vision of love for you, me, and the world. He is using Philemon 1 as well as Hebrews 13 as his texts this week. God bless you!
Join Pastor Kim as she preaches on Jesus' call to us to be servants of one another, perhaps our deepest and most blessed calling. It helps us identify with each other AND with Jesus himself, as he becomes our servant in his most striking surprise. God bless you!
Join Pastor Andy as he gets into Ephesians 4:1-16 and John 17, the Apostle Paul's and Jesus' visions for unity not just within the church but also within the world. Today's title is, "The Spirit of Unity and Diversity." God bless you this weekend!
Join Pr. Kim as she discusses The Love Chapter, I Corinthians 13, one of the most beloved chapters in the Bible. God bless you!
It is Father's Day weekend! Happy Father's Day to all men who are fathers or father figures. Join Pastor Andy as he reflects on the basis we have for truly loving God. He uses Romans 8:1-17 and Ephesians 3:14-21 as his touchpoints. God loves you and so do we!
Join Pastor Kim in this podcast. She will speak to Galatians 5 and Colossians 3, two particularly strong and important messages from the Apostle Paul. This is Trinity Sunday weekend. God bless you all. God loves you and so do we.
Join Pr. Andy as he helps us celebrate Pentecost Sunday, as well as the celebration of High School graduates. He focuses on Acts 2:1-4, 14-21. God bless you!
Pastor Andy preaches a sermon on Memorial Day weekend during a week when massive gun violence has again murdered school children and continued to deaden the heart of our nation. Today's theme, from Chapter 39, "Whatever the Hardships, Keep Rising Up!," comes from 2nd Corinthians 6:1-13 and from Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking." God bless you all and God bless our country in this pain-filled and needy time.
Join Pastor Kim as she discusses 2 Corinthians and "The Uprising of Stewardship." God's blessings to you.
Join Pastor Andy as he brings Acts 16 into a modern context and challenges us to rise together as partners in the gospel to let God take us to a new level of living with God's holy vision for the us and the world. God bless all of you richly!
Join Pastor Kim on this Mother's Day weekend as she considers Colossians 3 and Acts 2 under the theme, "The Uprising of Worship." God bless you!
Join Pastor Andy as he tackles John 21, Peter's encounter with Jesus, and Ch. 35 of Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking." This week's theme is, "The Uprising of Discipleship." God bless you and keep you!
Join Pastor Andy as he unpacks the story of Easter morning and Easter night in John 20. Blessings to you as we share in the fellowship Christ has with us and us with one another. "The Uprising of Fellowship" is today's theme from Ch. 34 of Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking." God bless you with Easter aliveness.
Happy and Blessed Easter to you! Join Pastor Andy as he dives into Luke 24:1-10 and Revelation 22:1-6. We celebrate the joy, life, and power of Easter together around the topic, "The Uprising Begins."
Join Pastor Kim as she helps us celebrate Palm Sunday. Rich blessings to you on this holy weekend at the start of Holy Week.
Join Pastor Andy this week as he helps us hear Jesus' final words in the Sermon on the Mount. This corresponds with Matthew 7:13-29 and also Chapter 31 in Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking." God's Lenten blessings to you.
Join Pastor Andy as he unpacks Matthew 6:19 - 7:12. The corresponding chapter in "We Make the Road by Walking" is Chapter 30, "Why We Worry, Why We Judge." God bless you and keep you during this Lenten weekend.
Join Pastor Kim this week as she speaks on the topic, "Your Secret Life," and continues to unpack Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6. God bless you and keep you!
Join Pastor Kim as she takes a deep dive into Matthew 5:17 and following. Brian McLaren's chapter in "We Make the Road by Walking" is entitled, "Our Secret Life." Blessings to you today!
Join Pastor Andy as he unpacks Matthew 5:1-16 and Luke 6:20-31, both of which are the Beatitudes. These correspond this week with Ch. 27, "A New Identity," in Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking." Blessed First Sunday in Lent to you!
Join Pastor Andy as he helps us celebrate Transfiguration Sunday and especially as he helps us think through the horrors of the war our world and neighbors are facing. God bless you and keep you.
Join Pastor Kim as she unpacks Hebrews 11 and discusses the new vision and empowerment faith gives to God's people. We are on Ch. 26 of Brian McLaren's book this week. God bless you and keep you!
Join Pastor Kim as she digs in to how Jesus understands violence and calls God's people out of it. God's deep blessings to you this weekend.
Join Pastor Andy as he discusses today's topic, "Jesus and Hell." Find Luke 16:19-31, as well as Matthew 25:31-40, in your Bibles. God bless you in your faith and life as you follow Christ even more closely now.
Join Pastor Kim today as she dives into the stories of Jesus forming relationships with "the multitudes," lingo in the Bible meaning the vast many who were not endowed with power or wealth in society. Be blessed as you worship in this way this weekend. God loves you and cares about you deeply and in real time.
Join Pastor Andy as he talks about Jesus' intent through the teaching of parables. He uses Mark 4:1-34 as his Scripture basis, as well as Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking," chapter 22, "Jesus the Teacher." Blessings to all of you.
Join Pastor Kim today as she tackles the important story of the man in the temple with the unclean spirit in the gospel of Mark, chapter 1. Blessings to you on this cold (at least up here in Minnesota!) January winter weekend!
Join Pr. Andy and Pr. Kim today for a unique weekend Altar Echo, as they give you a text-study-type podcast for your weekend worship. God's deep love to all of you in this new year!
Join Pastor Andy as he tackles Jesus as a precocious 12-year old in the temple and a 30-year old being baptized and displaying the fullness of God's perspective for people and the world. Luke 2:39-3:14 and Luke 3:21-22. Happy New Year!
Join Pastor Andy on this Christmas weekend for a story of God's profound love and grace for all of us. Illustration credit: Martin Bell, "The Way of the Wolf: Barrington Bunny." Merry Christmas!
Join Pastor Kim as she unravels the beginnings of the stories of Jesus' birth and life in Matthew 1 and Luke 2.
This week, Pastor Andy takes on King Herod in Matthew 1:18-2:15. The sermon is entitled, "Keep Herod in Christmas." Welcome!
Join Pastor Kim this week as she talks about Jesus' mother, Mary, and Mary spectacular "Magnificat." See Luke 1. McLaren's chapter, and our theme this weekend, is, "Women on the Edge."
Join Pastor Andy today as he gets us into the season of Advent and talks about HOPE, today's theme. The Scripture is a familiar one: Isaiah 40:3-11. It is also coupled with Luke 1:67-79. Read those passages and then come into the podcast. God bless you on this holiday weekend.
Join Pastor Kim as she looks into the mind and heart of God's people in Deuteronomy. Welcome to worship with St. John's Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Lakeville, MN
Join Pastor Andy as he unpacks the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-21 and refers to Chapter 10 , "Getting Slavery Out of the People," of Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking." Blessings to you!
Join Pastor Andy as he dives into Reformation Sunday and the important story of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 32 and 33. Be blessed as you share in the grace of God, especially through Jesus, who calls us to be His grace in world and in the Church, of which we are part. If you wish to give your offering this weekend, click here: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/269696
Thank you and blessings!
Join Pastor Kim as she digs into Sarah, the matriarch of faith in Genesis. May your faith be strengthened as she inspires you to be open to miracles and God's blessing.
Join Pastor Andy as he dives into Genesis 12, Abram (Abraham) being "blessed TO BE A BLESSING." This message will empower you and propel you to live for God's people in new and beautiful - and joyful! - ways. Genesis 12:1-9. God bless you...to be a blessing to others!
Pastor Andy's message today is entitled, "In Over Our Heads," and is based on Genesis 4:1-17; 6:5-8; 7:1-5; 8:1; and 9:7-17. Come along and hear the gospel in these stories of the fraught nature of the broken life with live. Come in faith and trust in God's redeeming love for you.
Pastor Kim tackles Gen. 3, the story of our human rebellion toward God. It is one of the hardest stories to hear because we must face our human dilemma and situation - we are sinners. We do not like admitting this. But, when we do, we trust God to redeem us. Listen for the gospel of Good News from God today in this podcast.
This week, Pastor Andy goes after John 1:1-17, as well as Chapter 3 in Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking." Come along to worship, listen, and be transformed by the Word of God, who is Jesus Christ the living Savior of us. God's love to you!
This week, Pastor Kim dives into Gen. 2, the second creation story in the Bible. Her sermon is entitled, "Being Human." This fall at St. John's, we are utilizing Brian McLaren's book, "We Make the Road by Walking," as our lectionary and jumping-off point for weekly sermons and messages. We encourage you to buy the book from your favorite bookseller and utilize it with us. Blessings!
Pastor Andy kicks off a new season using the book, "We Make the Road by Walking," by Brian McLaren, as our lectionary for the year. Get the book here in any format you'd like (https://smile.amazon.com/Make-Road-Walking-Reorientation-Activation/dp/1455514012/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=we+make+the+road+by+walking+brian+mclaren&qid=1631224180&s=books&sr=1-2). Today's message is entitled, "Awe and Wonder." It is based on the first creation story in Genesis 1:1 - 2:3. Join us to worship and praise the alive, good God of all creation!
Listen this weekend to Pastor Kim unpack the lectionary readings for this Labor Day Weekend. Blessings to all of you as you rest and give thanks for the gift of our labor and work.
A new chapter in Altar Echo has arrived, as Pastor Kim Kyllo joins the podcast. Welcome, Pastor Kim! Enjoy listening this week as Pastor Kim brings a powerful message of gospel to all of us. For all of you, let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to our Father in heaven.
Pastor Andy brings you the final sermon in the Embracing Revelation: Not Letting the Empire Strike Back" series, this time focused on Rev. 21:1-6 and Rev. 22:1-5. Read both full chapters, though, as you will be drawn into the most beautiful, inspiring promises of the Bible.
Also, Pastor Andy and Pastor Kim have begun a weekly "text study" podcast called "Altar Echo Text Study" that will air on Tuesdays each week. This is a 10-minute conversation, like pastors do each week, as they start to flesh out what good and new Word of truth they are hearing from God to us. Find it here and give it a follow, as well, so you can even prepare earlier in the week for the message that comes on Sundays. Find it here: https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-fifpa-10b942d?utm_campaign=w_share_ep&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=w_share
This week, Pastor Andy welcomes Pastor Kim Kyllo, new Associate Pastor at St. John's church in Lakeville, MN, for her first sermon on Altar Echo. She talks about Jesus' amazing words to His disciples about eating his flesh, drinking his blood, and abiding in him in John 6. Listen, enjoy, and grow in your faith in Christ our Savior!
Pastor Andy picks up our Revelation series in Revelation 13, the imagery of beasts bearing down on people and life itself. This chapter also includes the famous allusion to a person signified by the number 666, who First Century people knew was Emperor Nero. This is not image of the end of the world, but of the beasts and manifestations of evil and sin we deal with and battle against on a constant basis. Today, especially, the title for this sermon series is most appropos: Embracing Revelation: Not Letting the Empire Strike Back. Be blessed in your listening and in your faith again today.
Pastor Andy takes a pause in the Revelation series as St. John's Lutheran Church in Lakeville welcomes new Associate Pastor Kim Kyllo. Pastor Andy centers his message today around I Corinthians 2 and John 3. Peace to you as you hear the Gospel and deepen your faith in our loving Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Pastor Andy digs further into Revelation this week, this time in Chapter 6:1-8 and Chapter 7:9-17. This is the famous Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse scene, as well as the famous "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal" scene. Blessings to you as you abide in God's Word and worship God faithfully as a disciple of Christ, your Savior.
Pastor Andy takes us to part 2 of 5 of Revelation: Not Letting the Empire Strike Back. This week's sermon is an experiential moment of Rev 5, the praise of the Lamb who was slain for our sins. Come with joy and faith to this powerful promise of God that grace through Christ will always be given to us...and should be the cause of great praise from us together toward God!
Join Pastor Andy as he begins a new series entitled, "Revelation: Not Letting the Empire Strike Back." Today, he deals with Revelation 4:1-11. Listen carefully over the next 5 weeks for what Revelation IS and for what Revelation IS NOT. Blessings!
Join Pastor Andy as he welcomes guest preacher, Dan Brown, who zeroes in on our final message in this series, "Jeremiah: Embracing the Prophet." Texts today are Jeremiah 33:14-18 and Jeremiah 31:31-34. Happy, safe, and blessed Fourth of July to all of you. Next week, the new series, "Revelation: Not Letting the Empire Strike Back," begins. Join us!
Join Pastor Andy as he explores hope-filled story of Jeremiah buying a field in the midst of Israel being conquered in Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15. The message is entitled, "Hope for Future Generations." Welcome to the weekend. Be blessed as you deepen your faith in our good God of incredible eternal grace.
On Father's Day weekend, Pr. Andy speaks to Jeremiah's beautiful, hopeful vision to the exiles in Jer. 29:1-14 of God forgiving them and bringing them home to Israel one day soon. What kind of exiles have you felt in your life? Have you seen how God sticks with you, helps you change, and brings you into a new day with new hope? This is what God does. Jeremiah 29 is a letter from God, "Dear, Chosen Ones." Listen and be filled with new hope and faith.
This week's message is based around Jeremiah 36 and is entitled, "You Can't Burn Down God's Word." A companion piece to the sermon is found at www.sjlcl.org under Pentecost 2021. Click on the "6/13 sermon companion" button for a .pdf related to the message today. Be blessed as your worship God and praise our Savior. And, go God's way with your life!
Pastor Andy celebrates high school graduates in this message while also syncing this great milestone with the story of the Potter and the Clay in Jeremiah 18:1-11. This continues the series "Jeremiah: Embracing the Prophet." Take care, everyone, on this beautiful weekend that kicks off June. Bask in the love of God for you!
Happy Memorial Day weekend! Pr. Andy brings a message entitled, "Of Prophets, Callings, and Memorializings." The texts are Jeremiah 1:1-10 and Jeremiah 7:1-11. This is part one of a new sermon series, "Jeremiah: Embracing the Prophet." Have a joyful, blessed holiday weekend as you give deep thanks for all who gave their lives in service in the Armed Forces of our country.
This is Pentecost weekend and Pastor Andy gives his message, "Jiffy Pop and Pentecost," on Acts 2:1-4 and Galatians 4:1-7. Join us this festival weekend in the life of the Christian Church close to the heat source as the Holy Spirit calls the Church and us ourselves into the all-encompassing love of God.
This week, Pastor Andy shares a devotion rather than Scripture and a message, as he is out of town celebrating the graduate school graduation of one of his kids. Listen for the joy of the calling and responsibilities we have through our faith, not least of which is "joyfully painting pictures of our faith and God's presence with us" and telling about them to other people. May you be uniquely blessed this weekend in your faith so you can be God's blessing to others and to our world. Peace to you!
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"