There are 5 sermons in Lent whose theme is: "Nuturing Faith."
They offer an Overview and 4 Keys for sucessfully traveling this Faith Journey.

02/10/08  #1 An Overview of this Lenten Theme entitled: Nuturing Faith in home and congregation begins this new Podcast series. During the sermon several of our congregation youth play the parts of "young people being interviewed" on what it is they believe about God, about Christianity, and what it is like to be a Lutheran.
Ann Rosendale, student seminarian, is the preacher - Added 2/11/08

02/17/08  #2 The First Key to Nuturing Faith entitled: Devotions. This sermon is about 'Devotions', the ways in which we can daily give a regular testimony to our faith. What are the techniques we can use to do this and find God in our lives everyday?
Mike Fabian, Home and Family Ministry Consultant, is the preacher - Added 2/17/08

02/24/08  #3 The Second Key to Nuturing Faith entitled: Caring Conversations. This sermon is based upon the caring conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well which included an invitation filled with hope and compassion. Conversation is as much about listening as it is about talking. If we listen, even today, can we hear the conversation that God is trying to have with us? Can we hear the splash of water as Jesus washes our feet because He loves us?
Dana Dreibelbis is the preacher - Added 2/25/08

03/02/08  #4 The Third Key to Nuturing Faith entitled: Rituals and Traditions. Little Amy has her nighttime routines! But regardless of our age - we all have the need of rituals to reassure us that 'all is well.' Think about the practices and routines that we all have on a daily basis. Think about a tradition that exists in your family or workplace.
Pastor Paul Lutz is the preacher - Added 3/02/08

03/09/08  #5 The Fourth Key to Nuturing Faith entitled: Service. "Listen for God's Call to Service such as when St. Francis prayed - 'Make me an instrument of your Peace.' The human spirit is so resilient - and can respond to the call of 'How can we make a difference?' It is not only the 'Great Things' we can do that matters to God, but also the many small things we able to do for others every day."
Gail Campbell is the preacher - Added 3/09/08

03/23/08  The Easter Sermon "I've got some good news, and I've got some bad news - which would you like to hear first? The Bad News is that Jesus Lives! For Jesus spent time - not with the wealthy or the privileged, but with the broken, the hungry and the poor. And as if that wasn't bad enough, He commanded His followers to do the same. This was, and can be even today, problematic for some people. And the Good News? It is the same: Jesus lives! This good news refers to the future, and reminds us that Jesus is still alive and active today. It reminds us that we are still in an ongoing relationship with Him."
Pastor Paul Lutz is the preacher - Added 3/24/08

Mission to the Gulf Coast from PoP Church

Lynn and Mark Denker, along with 16 others who were members of the PoP Church Mission Team to the Gulf Coast, present an inspiring account of their experiences. The team was in the Gulf Coast for 6 days. During this time, 12 worked with Camp Noah (an ELCA VBS program for children who are victims of Katrina or other natural disasters), and another 6 worked with Camp Coast Care, an organization founded by the Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi dedicated to creating new housing for displaced persons who have lost their homes. They presented a program of slides (several are reproduced in the "Listen OnLine" page) and commentary about their trip; the camaraderie with those they met; and observed how much they themselves were changed by the experience. It was a mission that none of the participants will ever forget.

Mary Liz-Ivins "Empowering today's Parents "

Mary Liz-Ivins is the Principal of Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, NJ, and discusses the various pressures and concerns facing teenagers while in High School. Ms. Liz-Ivins examines how parents can stay connected and even aid in their child's learning to cope with the many social pressures of today's teenage society. How to keep a conversation going with your High School Student as well as sorting through the responsibilities for different levels of decisions which they - and their parents - must make every day are two of the topics explored. Current realities of school socialization, recreation, and the internet are explored and practical suggestions provided. (Introduction by Larry Klein, Prince of Peace Church Council Member)

Dana Dreibelbis "A Medical Mission in India"

While at Princeton University, Dana Dreibelbis was a Fellow in the Princeton-in-Asia Program. As part of his studies, he took an internship at the St. Luke's Hospital in Vengurla, India, where he has developed a lasting love and respect for this institution. He and his family took a recent trip to Vengurla to renew old acquaintenances and to understand the work of the hospital in 2007. His Forum reviews the Community at St. Luke's and its service to the community in which it resides. He raises the question as to what it might mean to build a relationship between us and these Christians ministering on India's western Coast. Through pictures and discussion, Dana Dreibelbis gives insights into the difficulties of giving adequate health care (especially in the areas of childbearing) in the less affluent communities a country of 1.3 billion people. At the same time he develops an inspiring picture of the dedication of Indian Christians ministering in love and compassion to their community.

Mike Fabian "Hollywood Jesus "

Home and Family Ministry Consultant, Mike Fabian, explores the images of Jesus that Hollywood - and Christian Art through the Centuries - has created for us. Often the image portrayed depicts an emphasis on some aspect of Jesus's life or ministry. Because there is no known actual drawing of Him, what ethnic characteristics have been used in creating these pictures, and are they accurate at least to the group they represent? What is the Shroud of Turin, and how have artists used it to attempt other recreations of our Lord's appearance. And then Hollywood, has had a varied offering, depicting a suffering Jesus, a triumphant Jesus or a Soft-spoken kindly person. Mike Fabian considers all these possibilities, and offers whatever factual information is available and stimulates us to think about what the real physicial appearance of our Lord might have been.

Al Cowell "Faith, Values, and Finances"

Albert Cowell, CLU, FIC, is a Financial Associate at Thrivent Financials for Lutherans. It is time to reflect on how your values are or are not reflected in your spending habits and financial decisions. Practical suggestion, resources and investments are explore that could help you better align your assets with your life values.

Mike Fabian "Who wrote the Bible?"

Home and Family Ministry Consultant and Biblical Historian, Mike Fabian, traces the information sources and time lines of the writers of the Bible. How did we get from the Oral Tradition to the printed Bible as we know it today? When didwritten language appear and how might that have influenced the sacred writings? Consider the asynchrony - in some cases - between our Faith Traditions and a lack of demonstrable support for a particular belief? In recent times there have been scientific advances which have been able to correlate the Bible with actual places - the science of Biblical Archaeology. And then there is the effect of different translations of the Bible on our understanding. Throughout it all, we feel the presence of the Holy Spirit guiding this most complicated complex process past the limitations of humankind.

Cindy Schwartz "Spiritual Direction - how it differs from therapy "

Dr. Cindy Schwartz is both a psychologist and a spritual director. In her forum, she explains how a prayer experience during a retreat in Tennesee opened the opportunity for her to embrace this new direction of ministry. Later she attended the San Francisco Theological Seminary where she received a diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction. Dr. Schwartz explains how we are called to be involved in each others' lives in many different ways - through the traditions of our denomination; from a small group to which we might belong - perhaps a Bible Study group, and there are many others. Guidance can come from people to whom we are very close, and also from those whom we consult and who have been called to be Spiritual Directors. She emphasizes in her description that ultimately all guidance comes not from people, but from God. Those who guide are only helping us improve our own relationship and closeness to our Lord.