St. Andrew Umc Podcast

Current Sermon Series Faith in Fiction: Finding God Between the Lines June 29 – July 13 Stories have always been God’s chosen medium—from ancient parables to modern novels. Literature doesn’t just entertain; it reveals profound truths about the human condition, moral struggle, and our deepest longings for meaning and redemption. In this transformative sermon series, we’ll explore how faith intersects with great works of fiction, discovering how authors across centuries have wrestled with questions of belief, doubt, sacrifice, and grace.  Each week, we’ll examine how fictional characters mirror our own faith journeys—their moments of crisis and revelation, struggles with forgiveness, and encounters with the divine in unexpected places. Join us as we discover that the greatest stories are ultimately about us, our relationship with God, and the enduring narrative of redemption. June 29 | Book: A Prayer for Owen Meany • Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16 July 6 | Book: You Are So Special | Bulletin • Order of Worship July

Current Sermon Series Faith in Fiction: Finding God Between the Lines June 29 – July 13 Stories have always been God’s chosen medium—from ancient parables to modern novels. Literature doesn’t just entertain; it reveals profound truths about the human condition, moral struggle, and our deepest longings for meaning and redemption. In this transformative sermon series, we’ll explore how faith intersects with great works of fiction, discovering how authors across centuries have wrestled with questions of belief, doubt, sacrifice, and grace.  Each week, we’ll examine how fictional characters mirror our own faith journeys—their moments of crisis and revelation, struggles with forgiveness, and encounters with the divine in unexpected places. Join us as we discover that the greatest stories are ultimately about us, our relationship with God, and the enduring narrative of redemption. June 29 | Book: A Prayer for Owen Meany • Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16 July 6 | Book: You Are So Special | Bulletin • Order of Worship July

Current Sermon Series Faith in Fiction: Finding God Between the Lines June 29 – July 13 Stories have always been God’s chosen medium—from ancient parables to modern novels. Literature doesn’t just entertain; it reveals profound truths about the human condition, moral struggle, and our deepest longings for meaning and redemption. In this transformative sermon series, we’ll explore how faith intersects with great works of fiction, discovering how authors across centuries have wrestled with questions of belief, doubt, sacrifice, and grace.  Each week, we’ll examine how fictional characters mirror our own faith journeys—their moments of crisis and revelation, struggles with forgiveness, and encounters with the divine in unexpected places. Join us as we discover that the greatest stories are ultimately about us, our relationship with God, and the enduring narrative of redemption. June 29 | Book: A Prayer for Owen Meany • Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16 July 6 | Book: You Are So Special | Bulletin • Order of Worship July

Current Sermon Series At the End of the Day: 7 Questions for Mindful Living May 4 – June 22 The Apostle Paul once wrote, “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence… that Christ is in you. Test it out” (2 Corinthians 13:5, The Message). With those words, Paul urges us to take inventory of our lives daily—to “review the tapes” to see where we might have lived up to our faith, and where we might have fallen short. In this series, we’ll put a new twist on an old form of prayer called “The Examen” which gives us a formula for intentional self-examination at the end of each day. How can we yield our own will to God’s purposes if we are not conscious of our own shortcomings? How can we see where God has shown up in our lives if we do not reflect on the experiences and encounters of our day?  Join us as we explore 7 questions for honest self-examination at the end of our day.

Current Sermon Series At the End of the Day: 7 Questions for Mindful Living May 4 – June 22 The Apostle Paul once wrote, “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence… that Christ is in you. Test it out” (2 Corinthians 13:5, The Message). With those words, Paul urges us to take inventory of our lives daily—to “review the tapes” to see where we might have lived up to our faith, and where we might have fallen short. In this series, we’ll put a new twist on an old form of prayer called “The Examen” which gives us a formula for intentional self-examination at the end of each day. How can we yield our own will to God’s purposes if we are not conscious of our own shortcomings? How can we see where God has shown up in our lives if we do not reflect on the experiences and encounters of our day?  Join us as we explore 7 questions for honest self-examination at the end of our day.

Current Sermon Series At the End of the Day: 7 Questions for Mindful Living May 4 – June 22 The Apostle Paul once wrote, “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence… that Christ is in you. Test it out” (2 Corinthians 13:5, The Message). With those words, Paul urges us to take inventory of our lives daily—to “review the tapes” to see where we might have lived up to our faith, and where we might have fallen short. In this series, we’ll put a new twist on an old form of prayer called “The Examen” which gives us a formula for intentional self-examination at the end of each day. How can we yield our own will to God’s purposes if we are not conscious of our own shortcomings? How can we see where God has shown up in our lives if we do not reflect on the experiences and encounters of our day?  Join us as we explore 7 questions for honest self-examination at the end of our day.

Current Sermon Series At the End of the Day: 7 Questions for Mindful Living May 4 – June 22 The Apostle Paul once wrote, “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence… that Christ is in you. Test it out” (2 Corinthians 13:5, The Message). With those words, Paul urges us to take inventory of our lives daily—to “review the tapes” to see where we might have lived up to our faith, and where we might have fallen short. In this series, we’ll put a new twist on an old form of prayer called “The Examen” which gives us a formula for intentional self-examination at the end of each day. How can we yield our own will to God’s purposes if we are not conscious of our own shortcomings? How can we see where God has shown up in our lives if we do not reflect on the experiences and encounters of our day?  Join us as we explore 7 questions for honest self-examination at the end of our day.

https://www.standrewsomaha.net/

Current Sermon Series At the End of the Day: 7 Questions for Mindful Living May 4 – June 22 The Apostle Paul once wrote, “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence… that Christ is in you. Test it out” (2 Corinthians 13:5, The Message). With those words, Paul urges us to take inventory of our lives daily—to “review the tapes” to see where we might have lived up to our faith, and where we might have fallen short. In this series, we’ll put a new twist on an old form of prayer called “The Examen” which gives us a formula for intentional self-examination at the end of each day. How can we yield our own will to God’s purposes if we are not conscious of our own shortcomings? How can we see where God has shown up in our lives if we do not reflect on the experiences and encounters of our day?  Join us as we explore 7 questions for honest self-examination at the end of our day.

Current Sermon Series At the End of the Day: 7 Questions for Mindful Living May 4 – June 22 The Apostle Paul once wrote, “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence… that Christ is in you. Test it out” (2 Corinthians 13:5, The Message). With those words, Paul urges us to take inventory of our lives daily—to “review the tapes” to see where we might have lived up to our faith, and where we might have fallen short. In this series, we’ll put a new twist on an old form of prayer called “The Examen” which gives us a formula for intentional self-examination at the end of each day. How can we yield our own will to God’s purposes if we are not conscious of our own shortcomings? How can we see where God has shown up in our lives if we do not reflect on the experiences and encounters of our day?  Join us as we explore 7 questions for honest self-examination at the end of our day.

Current Sermon Series At the End of the Day: 7 Questions for Mindful Living May 4 – June 22 The Apostle Paul once wrote, “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence… that Christ is in you. Test it out” (2 Corinthians 13:5, The Message). With those words, Paul urges us to take inventory of our lives daily—to “review the tapes” to see where we might have lived up to our faith, and where we might have fallen short. In this series, we’ll put a new twist on an old form of prayer called “The Examen” which gives us a formula for intentional self-examination at the end of each day. How can we yield our own will to God’s purposes if we are not conscious of our own shortcomings? How can we see where God has shown up in our lives if we do not reflect on the experiences and encounters of our day?  Join us as we explore 7 questions for honest self-examination at the end of our day.

Every day, we must choose: will we live half alive and preserve the illusions of a Good Friday world; or will we live fully alive, astonished that the risen Christ is all around us, that love wins and life prevails and what we always assume is the end is actually just the beginning.

The Beautiful Empty: Lent 2025 March 9 – April 13 Blaise Pascal once spoke of the “God-shaped vacuum” in the heart of every person that can only be filled by God. Yet we spend so much of our lives trying to fill that vacuum with everything but God. When we feel worthless, we seek validation from our work. When we suffer from loneliness, we turn to relationships to save us. When we experience boredom, we binge on entertainment. When we feel overwhelmed or self-conscious, we reach for altered states.   The God-shaped hole only grows deeper and wider as we fill it with the things that do not satisfy. But the season of Lent invites us to let go of our attachments and dependencies, emptying ourselves of all our cheap substitutes for God, so we can finally see ourselves for who we really are—needy, imperfect, unfinished, still-becoming people in need of a tender, patient, gracious God. It’s only by experiencing our emptiness that the God-shaped hole can finally be filled, healed, and blessed by that which truly sat

The Beautiful Empty: Lent 2025 March 9 – April 13 Blaise Pascal once spoke of the “God-shaped vacuum” in the heart of every person that can only be filled by God. Yet we spend so much of our lives trying to fill that vacuum with everything but God. When we feel worthless, we seek validation from our work. When we suffer from loneliness, we turn to relationships to save us. When we experience boredom, we binge on entertainment. When we feel overwhelmed or self-conscious, we reach for altered states.   The God-shaped hole only grows deeper and wider as we fill it with the things that do not satisfy. But the season of Lent invites us to let go of our attachments and dependencies, emptying ourselves of all our cheap substitutes for God, so we can finally see ourselves for who we really are—needy, imperfect, unfinished, still-becoming people in need of a tender, patient, gracious God. It’s only by experiencing our emptiness that the God-shaped hole can finally be filled, healed, and blessed by that which truly sat

The Beautiful Empty: Lent 2025 March 9 – April 13 Blaise Pascal once spoke of the “God-shaped vacuum” in the heart of every person that can only be filled by God. Yet we spend so much of our lives trying to fill that vacuum with everything but God. When we feel worthless, we seek validation from our work. When we suffer from loneliness, we turn to relationships to save us. When we experience boredom, we binge on entertainment. When we feel overwhelmed or self-conscious, we reach for altered states.   The God-shaped hole only grows deeper and wider as we fill it with the things that do not satisfy. But the season of Lent invites us to let go of our attachments and dependencies, emptying ourselves of all our cheap substitutes for God, so we can finally see ourselves for who we really are—needy, imperfect, unfinished, still-becoming people in need of a tender, patient, gracious God. It’s only by experiencing our emptiness that the God-shaped hole can finally be filled, healed, and blessed by that which truly sat

The Beautiful Empty: Lent 2025 March 9 – April 13 Blaise Pascal once spoke of the “God-shaped vacuum” in the heart of every person that can only be filled by God. Yet we spend so much of our lives trying to fill that vacuum with everything but God. When we feel worthless, we seek validation from our work. When we suffer from loneliness, we turn to relationships to save us. When we experience boredom, we binge on entertainment. When we feel overwhelmed or self-conscious, we reach for altered states.   The God-shaped hole only grows deeper and wider as we fill it with the things that do not satisfy. But the season of Lent invites us to let go of our attachments and dependencies, emptying ourselves of all our cheap substitutes for God, so we can finally see ourselves for who we really are—needy, imperfect, unfinished, still-becoming people in need of a tender, patient, gracious God. It’s only by experiencing our emptiness that the God-shaped hole can finally be filled, healed, and blessed by that which truly sat

The Beautiful Empty: Lent 2025 March 9 – April 13 Blaise Pascal once spoke of the “God-shaped vacuum” in the heart of every person that can only be filled by God. Yet we spend so much of our lives trying to fill that vacuum with everything but God. When we feel worthless, we seek validation from our work. When we suffer from loneliness, we turn to relationships to save us. When we experience boredom, we binge on entertainment. When we feel overwhelmed or self-conscious, we reach for altered states.   The God-shaped hole only grows deeper and wider as we fill it with the things that do not satisfy. But the season of Lent invites us to let go of our attachments and dependencies, emptying ourselves of all our cheap substitutes for God, so we can finally see ourselves for who we really are—needy, imperfect, unfinished, still-becoming people in need of a tender, patient, gracious God. It’s only by experiencing our emptiness that the God-shaped hole can finally be filled, healed, and blessed by that which truly sat

The Beautiful Empty: Lent 2025 March 9 – April 13 Blaise Pascal once spoke of the “God-shaped vacuum” in the heart of every person that can only be filled by God. Yet we spend so much of our lives trying to fill that vacuum with everything but God. When we feel worthless, we seek validation from our work. When we suffer from loneliness, we turn to relationships to save us. When we experience boredom, we binge on entertainment. When we feel overwhelmed or self-conscious, we reach for altered states.   The God-shaped hole only grows deeper and wider as we fill it with the things that do not satisfy. But the season of Lent invites us to let go of our attachments and dependencies, emptying ourselves of all our cheap substitutes for God, so we can finally see ourselves for who we really are—needy, imperfect, unfinished, still-becoming people in need of a tender, patient, gracious God. It’s only by experiencing our emptiness that the God-shaped hole can finally be filled, healed, and blessed by that which truly sat

CURRENT SERMON SERIES: Dispatches from Cell 92: Bonhoeffer on Faith and Resistance January 12–March 2 Some call him a martyr. Others a spy and assassin. But before his arrest and execution by the Nazis in 1945, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a pastor and theologian whose writings on Christianity have become more relevant today than ever. In this six-part series, we’ll explore Bonhoeffer’s thoughts on grace, faith, responsibility, and resistance for clues about how we might live out our faith in ways that make a difference in today’s world.  The series includes an all-church book study and documentary film discussion.