Podcasts about university lutheran church

St. Paul begins to expound upon the way the baptized walk according to the calling Jesus has given. He has made us members of one body and one Spirit. The one Lord has called us to one hope and one faith in one baptism, so that we are under the one God and Father. This one God has given His gifts to His whole Church through the ascension of Christ, who is proclaimed by the ministers He sends to His Church. Through this proclamation of the Word, God unites and builds up His church in the truth so that the whole body works properly in Him.  Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor at University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ephesians 4:1-16.   "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle to the Ephesians. St. Paul highlights the salvation that God has given to His whole Church by His grace through faith. Because God has given His people this new life in Holy Baptism, we live in thanksgiving to Him as members of one body. 

Pr. Michael Schuermann of University Lutheran Church, Champaign, IL The post 2052. Staying Christian in College – Pr. Michael Schuermann, 7/23/24 first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Rev. Richard Woelmer — pastor of University Lutheran Church at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and Julianna Shults, DCE — Program Manager with LCMS Youth Ministry, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the importance of campus ministry for college students, why it is critical in this stage of life to stay connected to Word and Sacrament ministry, what is essential to campus ministry, how LCMS campus ministry works, and how to get connected to an LCMSU chapter. Learn more about University Lutheran Church at indianalutheran.com/home. Campus ministry resources: LCMSU Student Information Form: lcms.org/campus-ministry/lcms-u-campus-link LCMSU Chapter Locator: lcms.org/how-we-serve/national/campus-ministry/lcms-u-chapter-map LCMS Church Locator: locator.lcms.org/church (Advanced Search > Ministry Type to find campus ministry churches) This program originally aired August 24, 2023.

Due to accurate record keeping in Persian libraries, King Darius of Persia discovers that Cyrus had previously decreed that the temple in Jerusalem be rebuilt. Darius therefore commands that the work be completed without any opposition. Through these pagan rulers and the faithful work of His people, the LORD provided that His temple was finally rebuilt in 516 BC. The dedication of the rebuilt temple was a moment of joy, as was the first Passover celebrated there. Both of these events pointed forward to their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor at University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezra 6:1-22. "God Brings His People Home” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. After 70 years in exile, the LORD began to fulfill His promise to bring His people back to the Promised Land. In the years that followed, faithful clergy and dedicated laity worked together to rebuild Jerusalem physically and restore the people of God spiritually. Through it all, God was at work to keep His promise of bringing the Savior into the world in the fullness of time.

What's it like to serve on a short-term mission team with the LCMS? Rev. Richard Woelmer — Pastor of University Lutheran Church at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, Lewis Ostermeyer — Member of University Lutheran Church at IU and short-term mission participant, and Anne Gonzalez — manager of Short-term Mission Training and Engagement with the LCMS Office of International Mission, join Andy and Sarah to share about the team from University Lutheran Church who served in the Czech Republic, how they were able to serve, what they learned while they were there, and how you can serve in a similar way. To inquire about service opportunities, reach out to mission.teams@lcms.org and visit servenow.lcms.org.

What's it like to lead a team of college students on an international mission trip to the Czech Republic? Rev. Richard Woelmer — Pastor of University Lutheran Church at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and Erin Alter — Director of Short-Term Missions for the LCMS Office of International Mission, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how international mission trips have been a valuable part of Pastor Woelmer's ministry to students, what was most helpful to him in preparing to lead a team, what was the most challenging part of leading an international team for the first time, what students are looking forward to on the upcoming trip to the Czech Republic, and how LCMS Office of International Mission equips team leaders for short-term mission events. Find ways to serve at servenow.lcms.org and follow LCMS Office of International Mission at facebook.com/LCMSInternationalMission and instagram.com/lcmsinternationalmission.

Paul commands the Ephesians to live in unity as members of one body in Christ. He reminds them that God has gifted each believer for building up the church. Therefore, they should put off their old selves and put on their new selves in Christ, speaking truth and living righteously. Paul instructs them not to grieve the Holy Spirit but to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving towards one another, just as God forgave them through Christ. He warns them not to fall back into their old ways but to continue growing in their knowledge of Christ and living as children of light. The Rev. Michael Schuermann, pastor of University Lutheran Church in Champaign, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Ephesians 4. Paul's letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians contain a wealth of theology and practical guidance for living out the Christian faith. Ephesians unpacks God's overarching plan of salvation and our identity in Christ, calling us to unity and holiness in the Church. Philippians overflows with joy, encouraging us to imitate Christ's humility and develop spiritual maturity. Colossians stresses Christ's preeminence and sufficiency, warning against false teaching and exhorting us to set our minds on things above. Together these essential epistles provide incredible insights into doctrines like grace, reconciliation, and redemption while also equipping us to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel in our relationships, speech, work, and ministry. Get ready to deepen your faith as we explore the powerful messages in Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians!

Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor at University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. St. Paul shows the Corinthians the way that excels above all others, the way of love. If the gifts of the Holy Spirit are used without love, they are nothing. Instead, Christians pursue love for each other because God has loved us first. This love given to Christians is more than a feeling; it is an action for the other person's good. Although other gifts from the Spirit come to an end, love does not, as we wait for the return of Christ. Even when faith and hope turn to sight on the Last Day, the love of God will remain. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.

Rev. Richard Woelmer — pastor of University Lutheran Church at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and Julianna Shults, DCE — Program Manager with LCMS Youth Ministry, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the importance of campus ministry for college students, why it is critical in this stage of life to stay connected to Word and Sacrament ministry, what is essential to campus ministry, how LCMS campus ministry works, and how to get connected to an LCMSU chapter. Learn more about University Lutheran Church at indianalutheran.com/home. Campus ministry resources: LCMSU Student Information Form: lcms.org/campus-ministry/lcms-u-campus-link LCMSU Chapter Locator: lcms.org/how-we-serve/national/campus-ministry/lcms-u-chapter-map LCMS Church Locator: locator.lcms.org/church (Advanced Search > Ministry Type to find campus ministry churches)

Meggie Moench is a Minneapolis-based musician and dancer who is excited to attend 10th Wave Chamber Collective's upcoming event “At Dusk: Outdoor Chamber Music Concert Series.”“I love listening to local live music in Minneapolis, and 10th Wave Chamber Collective is a group whose performances I always make sure to see,” Moench said.This particular concert series is extra special, she said, because it features all BIPOC, contemporary composers with a modern flair playing outside in nature.There are two concerts. The first is at 7 p.m. on Aug. 19 at Lutherie Lab (2619 Ulysses St. N.E., Minneapolis). An additional performance takes place a week later at 7 p.m. on Aug. 26 at the University Lutheran Church of Hope Courtyard (601 13th Ave. S.E., Minneapolis).Karla Grotting is a local dancer, choreographer and dance educator who says Rhythmically Speaking's event, “The Cohort,” makes jazz dance approachable and fun for any audience.“It's very legible and accessible and captures all elements like jazz music does,” Grotting said.The show runs Aug. 17-19 at the Southern Theater (1420 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis).Amy Tervola Hultberg is an education consultant from New York Mills, who loves to see the community come together for the town's annual puppet pageant.“The children involved, the families involved, the residents involved are also very dedicated.” Hultberg said. “Children are learning how to walk on stilts … it's a true puppet experience.” The pageant tells the story of Kalevala, which is based on the Finnish national epic poem, and tells a story of creation. The community has worked on the puppets for weeks and will get to debut their own latest creation to the public at 7 p.m. on Aug. 18 at New York Mills VFW Post 3289. An additional performance will take place at noon on Aug. 19 at the Finn Creek Open Air Museum.

Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor at University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 18:28-40. Jesus is led from the house of Caiaphas to the headquarters of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. Though the Jewish leaders have no real accusation against Jesus, they are insistent that Pilate must decide the case, which God uses to fulfill Jesus' words concerning His death by crucifixion. As Pilate begins to question Jesus, once again the Lord ends up as the One who does the real questioning. Pilate's concern is political, but Jesus reveals that the Kingdom of God is not like the kingdoms of this world. Jesus has come to be King precisely by going to His cross. As the Jews cry for Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus, the text reveals the truth of what Jesus has come to do. He has come to take the place of sinners. “The Word Made Flesh” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the Gospel according to St. John. The disciple whom Jesus loved wrote his Gospel account as an eyewitness to Jesus' life and ministry. As we read the Word of God recorded by St. John, the Holy Spirit works in us so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so have life by faith in His name.

Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor at University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Deuteronomy 31:1-13. Even as his death draws closer, Moses continues to speak to Israel. Although Moses will not go across the Jordan into the Promised Land, the LORD will go over with them, and He will win the victory for them there, as He has already begun. Joshua will be the human leader of Israel after Moses; the LORD will be with Joshua to give him strength and courage for the task. Moses writes the law down for the priests to read to the people every seven years at the Feast of Booths. All Israel is to hear it so that might keep the Word of God for their very life. “The Law of God is Good and Wise” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Deuteronomy. Though Moses' lengthy sermons in Deuteronomy may be tempting to skip, this influential book is essential reading for Christians. As Moses strengthened Israel on the plains of Moab before the people entered the Promised Land, so the book of Deuteronomy still strengthens the Church as we prepare to enter the Resurrection with Christ, the Prophet greater than Moses.

Pr. Michael Schuermann of University Lutheran Church, Champaign, IL

Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor at University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 25:1-27. Now governor in place of Felix, Festus works to make friends with the Jews in Jerusalem in order to keep tensions from flaring. Yet he does not fall for their attempt to get Paul to Jerusalem. In Caesarea, the case against Paul is heard yet again, but Paul sees through the kangaroo court. He takes the opportunity to appeal to Caesar for the sake of proclaiming the Gospel in Rome. Festus knows that Paul is innocent, but he takes the easy out by making preparations to send Paul to Caesar. As he recounts the history to Agrippa, Festus correctly recognizes that the case turns on whether or not Jesus is risen from the dead. In great human pomp, Agrippa and Festus will hear what is truly glorious: the Gospel that Paul proclaims. “To the End of the Earth” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Acts. In his second volume, St. Luke records all the things that Jesus continued to do through the ministry of His Church. By the end of the book, the proclamation of the Lord's Word that began in Jerusalem grows all the way to Rome. By God's grace, even now, that same Word is proclaimed to us.

Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor at University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Luke 19:41-48. The joy surrounding Jesus' ride toward Jerusalem contrasts with His weeping and lament upon seeing the city. Though Jesus enters the city to make peace between God and sinners, Jerusalem refuses to receive Him in faith. As they had rejected the proclamation of repentance by prophets such as Jeremiah, so they now reject Jesus. In the Old Testament, the Babylonians brought God's judgment; now their judgment will come at the hands of the Roman army because they did not recognize the presence of God in Jesus. He proceeds to the temple, which He claims as His own house, the place where prayers for His mercy are offered. They have abused the true purpose of His temple; by His continued teaching in the temple during Holy Week, Jesus shows the good news that comes when God dwells among men and shows Himself to be the true temple. The building in Jerusalem has become obsolete because God dwells among us in Jesus. “The Beloved Physician's Orderly Account” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the Gospel according to St. Luke. The Evangelist wrote his well-researched account of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection so that Theophilus would have certainty concerning the things he had been taught. As we still read the Word of God recorded by St. Luke, our gracious Lord gives us that same certainty that Jesus is our Savior.

What is faith, and what is the relationship of faith and good works? Learn what "new" means in regards to obedience, whether good works are necessary for the Christian, and what we mean when we say that good works are "bound to happen". Also, hear about how true worship is a good work, why it's wrong to "rely on good works," and how you might tell the difference between relying on works and just doing them. Rev. Michael Schuermann, pastor of University Lutheran Church in Champaign, IL joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the New Obedience in Article VI of the Augsburg Confession. Find your copy of The Augsburg Confession - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession.

Join in as I talk with Jay Winters, pastor of University Lutheran Church in Tallahassee, FL. We discuss campus ministry and some of the generational considerations we encounter proclaiming the gospel. 

Pr. Michael Schuermann of University Lutheran Church, Champaign, IL

Welcome to the Liturgy of the Hours podcast... presented by Luther Seminary Chapel and Augsburg University Campus Ministry. Prayer for wherever you may be.  The Liturgy of the Hours is the passed-through-the-generations practice of daily prayer offered through praise, prayer, song, psalm and scripture. Now available by podcast. Prayer from the great cloud of witnesses to your cloud. Our liturgists this week are Nate Crary and Hannah Sackett, who recorded this prayer outside in the courtyard of the University Lutheran Church of Hope while wearing masks and standing 20 feet apart. We note that there have been at this point 1.3 million deaths worldwide due to the coronavirus; 18.7 per cent of which have occurred in the United States.  This is the last episode of season two, in which we have offered Matins, or prayer for the morning time. Morning Prayer points us to Christ's resurrection dawn. This week we prepare for the end of the church year with the Reign of Christ. We confess that Christ is our King and pray for Christ's kingdom to come -- on earth as it is in heaven. Portions are streamed from OneLicense.net #A730924 and Augsburg Fortress Annual License #26450, CCLI #1725436

Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor of University Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 1 Samuel 24. “And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, ‘You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.’” Saul shows true repentance in chapter 24, moved by David’s mercy. In turn, Saul extends mercy to David, sending his battalions home and even acknowledging that David is meant to be king. Neither man was an angel or a devil—they were just men, struggling to walk faith’s path of repentance. David points to Jesus Christ this time by showing his devotion to the spirit of the law, not merely the letter. Even when we’re absolutely convinced that someone’s harm is justified, God desires mercy and submissiveness.

Rev. Michael Schuermann, pastor of University Lutheran Church, campus ministry at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why we should consider our mortality even if we are presumably in the prime of life, how or beliefs about death and resurrection color our vocations, and what scripture teaches us about death. Read his answer to the question about considering death in the prime of life in the September issue of the Lutheran Witness. Read and listen to LW online at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness. The Coffee Hour is underwritten by Concordia University Wisconsin. Live Uncommon. Learn more at cuw.edu.

Rev. Michael Schuermann, pastor of University Lutheran Church, campus ministry at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why we should consider our mortality even if we are presumably in the prime of life, how or beliefs about death and resurrection color our vocations, and what scripture teaches us about death. Read his answer to the question about considering death in the prime of life in the September issue of the Lutheran Witness. Read and listen to LW online at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor of University Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Exodus 26. “You shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them.” God does not endorse slavery, but He did redeem it in Exodus 26. God takes the workmanship and knowledge that the Israelites gained from their long stay in Egypt and transforms it into holy service, just as God does with our secular vocations. The Tabernacle was a true sanctuary, not only a holy place: but a place of safety, protection, and heavenly peace, whose royal colors pointed ahead to Christ’s royal atonement in the Supper.

Rev. Justin Herman, Senior Pastor of University Lutheran Church in West Lafayette, IN, serving students at Purdue University, drops in to The Student Union to talk about how we as the church can care for our neighbors during the COVID-19 crisis. Learn more about University Lutheran Church at ulupurdue.org.

Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor at University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 28:1-10. The women went to Jesus’ tomb on the first day of the week just as the light was dawning, though they did not yet realize just how bright that light would be. The reality became apparent soon enough. As an earthquake accompanied Jesus’ death, so another earthquake accompanied Jesus’ resurrection as God’s own creation announced the new creation. God sent His angel to roll the stone away from Jesus’ tomb to reveal that it was already empty. The guards became like dead men in their fear, but they were the only dead ones there. The angel announced the good news to the women. Jesus’ resurrection takes away all fear. It is the central event of all history and of the Christian faith, giving us hope not only for this life, but for eternal life. As the women went in fear and great joy to tell the news to the disciples, Jesus met them with His greetings. In worship, they took hold of His feet, an important reminder that Jesus’ resurrection is physical. Jesus again took away their fear and sent them to His disciples as His brothers, those loved and forgiven through His death and resurrection. “All Righteousness Fulfilled” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that digs into the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims Jesus to Jews and Gentiles alike as the fulfillment of God’s saving words and acts throughout the Old Testament. As the Christ in the line of David and Abraham, Jesus is the promised King who comes to bring sinners from every nation to live under His gracious reign.

Minneapolis Arts Commissioner and performer Janay D. Henry says she’s super excited to see “Skeleton Crew” at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo. The show is a co-production with New Dawn Theatre, a new company founded by some of the best theater talents in the Twin Cities. “Skeleton Crew” looks at the issues facing a small team of factory workers as the recession takes it’s toll on Detroit. Performances run through March 1. Roseville Area Middle School Theatre’s assistant director and props master Peg Cavanaugh highly recommends grabbing your favorite pillow and blanket and heading to University Lutheran Church of Hope in Dinkytown for “Night Songs.” This hourlong event features live music and poetry accompanied by projections of the universe on the ceiling of the church. Cavanaugh says the evening provides a breathtaking reminder of the beauty of the universe and a much-needed escape from news of the day. “Night Songs” takes place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb 13. Poet Tim Stouffer is a fan of the Ely Art Walk, which turns the northern Minnesota town into an open-air gallery. Approximately 400 works of art by local residents of all ages will be on display in shop windows. The art walk coincides with the town’s annual Winter Festival, which includes snow sculpting, guided hikes, and more. Both run Thursday through Feb. 16.

Rev. Richard Woelmer, pastor at University Lutheran Church & Student Center in Bloomington, IN, serving students at Indiana University drops into the Student Union to talk about the gift of creeds for campus communities. Learn more about University Lutheran at indianalutheran.com.

Rev. Jay Winters, Pastor at University Lutheran Church in Tallahassee, FL, serving students at Florida State University, drops in to The Student Union to talk about Kanye West in light of his recent “Jesus is King” album and the surrounding reviews and social media posts about Christianity.

“College Students and Philanthropy: You are Kidding, Right?” with Nathaniel Prather of Pekin, Illinois. Nathaniel is a student at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, attends University Lutheran Church and is involved along with his campus ministry in, among other things, Hoosiers Against Hunger. This is a rebroadcast from July 10, 2019.

“College Students and Philanthropy: You are Kidding, Right?” with Nathaniel Prather of Pekin, Illinois. Nathaniel is a student at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, attends University Lutheran Church and is involved along with his campus ministry in, among other things, Hoosiers Against Hunger.

The numbers are staggering: over the past twenty years in Chicago, 14,033 people have been killed and another roughly 60,000 wounded by gunfire. What does that do to the spirit of individuals and community? Journalist and storyteller Alex Kotlowitz joined us with a deeply intimate collection of chronicles from the lives of individuals who have emerged from this violence—all gathered together in his book An American Summer: Love and Death in Chicago. Kotlowitz met with KUOW’s Ross Reynolds to explore these thoughtful and empathetic individuals: a man who as a teenager killed a rival gang member and twenty years later is still struggling to come to terms with what he’s done; a devoted school social worker whose student refuses to give evidence in the shooting death of his best friend; and the witness to a wrongful police shooting who can’t shake what he has seen. Join Kotlowitz and Reynolds for a piercingly honest portrait of a city—and its people—in turmoil, and a perspective that seeks to upend what we think we know about gun violence in America. Alex Kotlowitz is the author of three previous books, including the national bestseller There Are No Children Here, selected by the New York Public Library as one of the 150 most important books of the twentieth century. His book The Other Side of the River was awarded the Chicago Tribune’s Heartland Prize for Nonfiction. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine and on This American Life. Ross Reynolds is the Executive Producer of Community Engagement at KUOW. He creates community conversations such as the Ask A events, and occasionally produces arts and news features. He is the former co-host of KUOW’s daily news magazine The Record and KUOW’s award–winning daily news–talk program The Conversation. Recorded live at University Lutheran Church by Town Hall Seattle on April 17, 2019. 

Pastor Fritz Fowler, special guest and Pastor of University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation in Philadelphia, shares about advent and reminds us that Jesus is coming. This week's Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-17, Luke 21:25-36Subscribe on iTunes

Silicon Valley technology is transforming the way we work, and Uber is among the startup companies leading the charge. Technology ethnographer Alex Rosenblat lent us a wealth of firsthand perspective on the subject to share insight from her book Uberland: How Algorithms Are Rewriting the Rules of Work. She spotlighted Uber’s remarkable new template for employment using algorithms and internet platforms, upending our understanding of work in the digital age. Rosenblat chronicled the stories of drivers in more than twenty-five cities in the United States and Canada over four years, shedding light on their working conditions and providing a window into how they feel behind the wheel. She highlighted Uber’s outsized influence around the world, revealing how the billion-dollar company is now influencing everything from debates about sexual harassment and transportation regulations to racial equality campaigns and labor rights initiatives. Join Rosenblat for a ride beyond the headlines to explore the complicated politics of popular technologies that are transforming the future for workers and consumers alike. Alex Rosenblat is a technology ethnographer. A researcher at the Data & Society Research Institute, she holds an MA in sociology from Queen’s University and a BA in history from McGill University. Her writing has appeared in media outlets such as the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, Slate, and Fast Company. Recorded live at University Lutheran Church by Town Hall Seattle on Tuesday, November 27, 2018. 

Dungeons & Dragons has become one of the most iconic game brands in the world. Since its genesis in 1974 the game has expanded far beyond its humble beginnings, and its scope increased by magnitudes after its induction into the publishing realm of Wizards of the Coast, based in Washington. To take us on an unprecedented journey through the visual evolution of the brand, the author team of Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, and Jon Peterson will be joined by the creators of the 5th edition of the game, Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins from Wizards of the Coast. The panel shared highlights from Dungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana and was moderated by Greg Tito, co-host of Dragon Talk. This team of authors offered us a look at never-before-seen sketches, large-format canvases, rare photographs, one-of-a-kind drafts, and more. They shared artistic findings from the archives of Wizards of the Coast, the personal compilations of top collectors, and conversations with the designers and illustrators who created the distinctive characters, concepts, and visuals that have defined fantasy art and gameplay for generations. Sit in for a crash course in gaming history, and explore the most comprehensive collection of D&D imagery ever assembled.   Michael Witwer is the author of the critically acclaimed Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons. Michael is widely considered an expert on D&D history and has discussed the topic on NPR’s All Things Considered, at the Boston Book Festival, at Gen Con, and elsewhere. Kyle Newman is a writer/director whose work includes Fanboys written by Ernie Cline, starring Kristen Bell and Seth Rogen; Barely Lethal, starring Samuel L. Jackson, Hailee Steinfeld, and Jessica Alba; and music videos for artists including Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift. Jon Peterson is a widely recognized authority on the history of games. His book Playing at the World was called “the first serious history of the development of Dungeons & Dragons” by The Village Voice. He has contributed to academic anthologies on games including Zones of Control and the forthcoming Role-Playing Game Studies: Transmedia Foundations. Christopher Perkins is the lead story designer for the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop roleplaying game. A gaming industry veteran, Chris has written or contributed to more than three hundred books and articles over the past thirty years. He is also a world-famous Dungeon Master who performs on live-streamed D&D shows, including Acquisitions Incorporated and Dice, Camera, Action! Jeremy Crawford is the co-lead designer of fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons. He led the design of the Player’s Handbook and now oversees the creation of rules and books for the D&D tabletop roleplaying game. Over the years, he has worked on many books for D&D and other games, including Blue Rose, Mutants & Masterminds, and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. Greg Tito has had a weird and long career as an Off Broadway stage manager, a playwright, a theater carpenter, a secretary, an RPG designer, a games journalist, and now a PR/Marketing person. He has loved Dungeons & Dragons ever since 1985 when he found an old copy of the AD&D Dungeon Master’s Guide on his brother’s bookshelf. Recorded live at University Lutheran Church by Town Hall Seattle on Tuesday, October 30, 2018. 

A computer mouse that doesn’t work for left-handed people, an interface whose color scheme is inaccessible for users with colorblindness, a touchscreen payment system that’s only usable by those who read English, have 20/20 vision, and use a credit card—these design oversights are the building blocks of exclusion, and they’re built into many devices we take for granted. Inclusive design expert Kat Holmes founded mismatch.design to combat the problem of devices that reject their users, and she brought her expertise to Town Hall to discuss how assumptions or thoughtless choices can lead to exclusion in design. She was joined in conversation by Hanson Hosein, Director of the Communication Leadership master’s program at the University of Washington. Holmes cited advice from her book Mismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design to show how inclusion can be a source of innovation and growth, especially for digital technologies, acting as a catalyst for creativity and a boost for the bottom line as a customer base expands. Join Holmes and Hosein for a treatise on remedying mismatched designs and creating elegant solutions that make tech accessible for excluded users. Kat Holmes is the founder of mismatch.design, a community and digital magazine dedicated to advancing inclusive design. Holmes served as the Principal Director of Inclusive Design at Microsoft from 2014-2017 and led a multi-disciplinary team in the development of the award-winning Inclusive: A Microsoft Design Toolkit. Hanson Hosein is the Director of the Communication Leadership master’s program at the University of Washington and the President of HRH Media Group LLC. He’s a pioneer of multimedia storytelling: as an Emmy and Overseas Press Club award-winning journalist for NBC News, a solo TV war correspondent with MSNBC and CBC and a documentary film director. Recorded live at University Lutheran Church by Town Hall Seattle on Tuesday, October 2, 2018. 

Donald Trump has been criticized for his history of unsympathetic, ambiguous, and openly racist remarks. They may have reached fever pitch after he failed to condemn white supremacy in the wake of the violence in Charlottesville, but perhaps no remark of Trump’s is more telling than his campaign pitch to Black Americans: “What the hell do you have to lose?” Bestselling author, political analyst, and civil rights expert Juan Williams took Town Hall’s stage to offer his take on just what Black Americans have to lose, and how Trump is threatening to take it away. Williams cited observations from his book What the Hell Do You Have to Lose?: Trump’s War on Civil Rights, delivering a forceful critique of the Trump administration’s unprecedented rollback of key progressive programs and policies from the civil rights movement. He dove into the 1964 Civil Rights Act and told the lesser-known and forgotten stories of heroes like Bob Moses, A. Philip Randolph, and Everett Dirksen, who fought for voting rights, integration of public schools and spaces, and more. Join Williams for a history lesson about essential figures from the civil rights movement—contrasted with the Trump administration’s policies and intentions for America. Recorded live at University Lutheran Church by Town Hall Seattle on Saturday, September 29, 2018. 

Writer Emily Dufton shares stories about the personalities involved in marijuana politics, makes a prediction on whether pot will be legalized in all 50 states, and reveals what she would say to her own son about marijuana. Emily's new book is Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall of Marijuana in America. She was in the Northwest to speak at University Lutheran Church, presented by Town Hall Seattle as part of the Civics Series.

Why don’t our kids do what we want them to do? In our modern highly-connected age it sometimes seems as though children have less self-control than ever. To offer us some behavioral insight, journalist and parenting expert Katherine Reynolds Lewis joined us with revelations from her book The Good News About Bad Behavior. She met for a conversation with KIRO 7 News reporter Patranya Bhoolsuwan to explore the ways we can instill the values of independence, responsibility, and self-regulation in our kids without falling into old (and, she says, fallible) patterns of punishment and reward. Lewis and Bhoolsuwan discussed the Apprenticeship Model—Lewis’ new theory of discipline that centers on the art of self-control. Blending new scientific research and powerful individual stories of change, Lewis asserted that if we trust our children to face consequences they will learn to adapt and moderate their own behavior. Lewis and Bhoolsuwan explored the successful accounts of this model—chaotic homes becoming peaceful, bewildered teachers seeing progress, and Lewis’ own family growing and evolving in light of these new ideas. Join Lewis and Bhoolsuwan for a journey down the path to developing more capable and kind behaviors for everyone in your home, including yourself. Katherine Reynolds Lewis is an award-winning independent journalist based in the Washington D.C. area whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, Bloomberg Businessweek, Fortune, The New York Times, Parade, Slate, The Washington Post and Working Mother. Her 2015 story for Mother Jonesmagazine about school discipline was the site’s most-viewed piece. Before going solo in 2008, she worked as a national correspondent for Newhouse News Service writing about money, work and family, and as a national reporter for Bloomberg News covering everything from orange crop reports and media policy to presidential campaigns. Patranya Bhoolsuwan is an Emmy award-winning reporter for Seattle’s KIRO 7 news, and former reporter and weekend anchor at KLAS-TV, the CBS affiliate in Las Vegas. It was there where she won the title of “Best Reporter” by the Nevada Association of Broadcasters. She has also worked as an anchor and reporter in Redding, Reno, and Washington DC, as well as working as a writer/producer for KRON-TV in San Francisco. Recorded live at University Lutheran Church by Town Hall Seattle on Thursday, June 14, 2018. 

Since the release of the documentary Blackfish in 2013, millions around the world have focused on the plight of the orca, the most profitable and controversial display animal in history. Yet until now, no historical account has explained how we came to care about killer whales in the first place. In celebration of Orca Awareness Month, environmental professor Jason M. Colby drew on interviews, official records, private archives, and his own family history, to tell the exhilarating and heartbreaking story of how the public came to love the ocean’s greatest predator. Colby dove into oceanic history to reveal the origins of the orca. Historically reviled as dangerous pests, killer whales were dying by the hundreds, even thousands, by the 1950s—the victims of whalers, fishermen, and even the US military. But that all changed in 1965, when Seattle entrepreneur Ted Griffin became the first person to swim and perform with a captive killer whale. Colby traced the trajectory of the orca’s image, revealing factors that led the public to embrace killer whales as charismatic and friendly. He explored encounters with captive orcas reshaped regional values in the Pacific Northwest, and helped drive environmental activism like Greenpeace’s anti-whaling campaigns. Join Colby for a definitive history of the feared and despised “killer whale,” and how its transformation into the beloved regional icon of the “orca” has impacted our relationship with the ocean and its creatures. Jason M. Colby is associate professor of environmental and international history at the University of Victoria. Born in Victoria, British Columbia, and raised in the Seattle area, he worked as a commercial fisherman in Alaska and Washington State. He is the author of The Business of Empire: United Fruit, Race, and US Expansion in Central America. Recorded live at University Lutheran Church by Town Hall Seattle on Tuesday, June 5, 2018. 

An Air Force loadmaster in the Vietnam War is shot out of the sky, then saved by falling into a banyan. An artist inherits a hundred years of photographic portraits, all of the same doomed American chestnut. A hearing and speech-impaired scientist discovers that trees are communicating with one another. These characters and their struggles exemplify the sweeping, impassioned story of activism—and stunning evocation of the natural world—that is author Richard Powers’ twelfth novel, The Overstory. Powers was joined in conversation by Brangien Davis—former Town Hall scholar in residence, arts critic, and the new full time arts-and-culture writer at Crosscut—for an insider’s discussion of Powers process and took us deep into the novel’s inspiration. Together they unfold the story’s concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Powers and Davis centered the conversation on the vast environmental conflict taking place between humans and the inexorable, interconnected world alongside us—magnificent yet almost invisible. Powers revealed the despair of humanity’s self-imposed separation from the rest of creation, introducing us to meaningfully identifiable characters who hope, as we all do, for the transformative, regenerating possibility of a reconciliation, and a homecoming. With empathetic resourcefulness, Powers and Davis invited us to learn more about the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe. Richard Powers is the author of twelve novels, including Orfeo, Generosity: An Enhancement, The Echo Maker, and The Time of Our Singing. He is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and the National Book Award, and he has been a Pulitzer Prize and four-time National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Brangien Davis is writer and editor who specializes in arts content. Over the past two decades, she has planned editorial content and written profiles, interviews, previews and in-depth stories for a variety of outlets, including Crosscut, Kultur, Amazon Kindle, Seattle Magazine (where she was the arts editor for 8 years) and The Seattle Times. She has also worked extensively as a writing instructor, book editor and arts event moderator/emcee. Recorded live at University Lutheran Church by Town Hall Seattle on Tuesday, April 24, 2018. 

With rapid technological innovation leading the charge, today’s world is transforming itself at an extraordinary and unprecedented pace. We are confronted every day with new challenges as jobs become more multifaceted, information streams multiply, and myriad devices place increasing demands on our attention. Theoretical physicist Leonard Mlodinow joined us with insight from his book Elastic: Flexible Thinking in a Time of Change, drawing on cutting-edge research in neuroscience and psychology to illuminate ways in which the human brain is uniquely engineered to adapt. Mlodinow took the stage for a look at the mechanics of our own minds as we navigate the rapidly shifting landscapes around us. Out of the exploratory instincts that allowed our ancestors to prosper hundreds of thousands of years ago, humans developed a cognitive style that Mlodinow terms elastic thinking, a collection of traits and abilities that include neophilia (an affinity for novelty), schizotypy (a tendency toward unusual perception), imagination and idea generation, pattern recognition, mental fluency, divergent thinking, and integrative thinking. Mlodinow asserted that these are the qualities that will enable each of us to succeed, personally and professionally, in the radically changing environments of today. With his keen acumen and rapid-fire wit, Mlodinow gives us the essential tools to harness the power of elastic thinking in an endlessly dynamic world. Leonard Mlodinow received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of California, Berkeley, was an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the Max Planck Institute, and was on the faculty of the California Institute of Technology. His previous books include the bestsellers Subliminal (winner of the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award), War of the Worldviews (with Deepak Chopra), The Grand Design (with Stephen Hawking), and The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives (a New York Times Notable Book), as well as The Upright Thinkers, Feynman’s Rainbow, and Euclid’s Window. He also wrote for the television series “MacGyver” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Jane C. Hu is a Seattle-based science journalist whose writing has appeared in publications like Slate (where she was a AAAS Mass Media Fellow in 2014), TheAtlantic.com, Scientific American, NBC News, Outside, and Science. She performed science outreach for the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, and was a 2016 Early Career Fellow at The Open Notebook. Recorded live at University Lutheran Church by Town Hall Seattle on Tuesday, March 20, 2018. 

Amy Chua is the John M. Duff, Jr. Professor at Yale Law School. She is a noted expert in the fields of ethnic conflict and globalization, and the author of the bestselling books World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability, Day of Empire: How Hyperpowers Rise to Global Dominance—and Why They Fall, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, and The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America, co-written with Jed Rubenfeld. Amy's new book is Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations. She was in the Northwest to speak at University Lutheran Church, presented by Town Hall Seattle as part of the Civics series.

Guests Rev. Richard Mittwede and Morgan Young from University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, our LCMS U Chapter at the University of Texas, discuss “A New Home Deep in the Heart of Texas.”

Join us as we discuss "So Reformation 500 is Over: Now What!?!" with Rev. Justin Herman of University Lutheran Church in West Lafayette, IN serving students at Purdue University. Learn more about University Lutheran Church at ulupurdue.org and see pictures of their new sanctuary dedication here: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMfJMF7zJnW-jQ2e_jjDHLD6KxutyB5S27AAf-P9IpGRVJR7GHXn_tI-Ex6A5H_uw?key=TlU1QkRHS3A4OTdhQktxRkhXV2FVVldQN1MteHF3. Today's program is a rebroadcast from November 8, 2017.

Join us as we discuss "So Reformation 500 is Over: Now What!?!" with Rev. Justin Herman of University Lutheran Church in West Lafayette, IN serving students at Purdue University. Learn more about University Lutheran Church at ulupurdue.org and see pictures of their new sanctuary dedication here.

Many of us in the Pacific Northwest feel a profound connection to the water, and Seattle-based author Jonathan White is no exception. In his book Tides: The Science and Spirit of the Ocean, White uses his surfing and sailing adventures across the globe to take us on a journey of scientific inquiry. As a water enthusiast, he’s traveled to five continents to experience the largest, fastest, scariest and most amazing tides in the world. As a conservationist, White is the founder and former director of the Resource Institute and has served on many conservation boards including the San Juan Preservation Trust and the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative. He’ll bring both these worlds together to explore the elemental, mysterious paradox that keeps our planet’s waters in constant motion. Recorded live at the University Lutheran Church by Town Hall Seattle Tuesday, September 12, 2017 

Guests Nick Moss, DCE at St. Paul Lutheran Church & School in Lakeland, Florida, and Rev. Jay Winters, Campus Minister at University Lutheran Church in Tallahassee, Florida, talk about the impact of Hurricane Irma on their respective ministries.