Christ In All Things

Celebrating Biblical Marriage Month, several members of the St. Paul's Marriage Ministry team gathered to remember one of the founding couples of the St. Paul's Marriage Ministry Team. Marcus and Carolyn Pankow served the church for most of their lives. Marcus as a teacher and Principal, Carolyn from the organ bench on Sunday mornings.

They both left a deep and lasting impact in our life together at St. Paul's. It seemed good to...

At St. Paul’s the first Lord’s Day in May is “Confirmation.” In this episode we talk about what confirmation is for Lutherans. We address the questions asked—and promises made—in confirmation. As listeners will hear, there is a deep connection between the third article of The Nicene Creed and Baptism. In the Nicene Creed we confess, “. . . And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the r...

Buckle up. This might be the most important episode we've recorded in three seasons of Christ In All Things. “’Liturgy and Evangelism,’ a Conversation” is deeply theological and personal for both pastors here. It’s about being lost and being found by Christ. The conversation flows from “Liturgy and Evangelism” by Dr. Kurt Marquardt (Please listen to the previous episode for the full reading of that essay.). We make application to t...

Welcome to “Liturgy and Evangelism by Dr. Kurt Marquardt.” In this episode you’ll hear a personal introduction to the late +Rev. Dr. Kurt Marquard+ by Pastor Lance O’Donnell, which became—much to his surprise—a deeply emotional live-mic moment. We decided to leave it because it helps provide a sense of the man who wrote the essay that so faithfully and clearly explains why a consistent, Scripture-based order of service or “liturgy”...

What a joy it was to talk with Ross Shaver! In Part 2 of this interview, which was recorded shortly before the Shavers deployed for their missionary work in the Dominican Republic. This episode is really an extended discussion of pastoral and missionary formation. It is an insight into the unique ways Christ forms men for the work to which He calls them. We also have a fascinating discussion about Christian education and what Dr. S...

Rev. Dr. Ross Patrick Shaver is a missionary and theological educator with the Dominican Republic Lutheran Mission. We, at Christ In All Things, have had this in the hopper for some time and are pleased to finally publish it. This episode was recorded just before he and his family deployed to the mission field. As you’ll hear, Dr. Shaver was deeply impacted by a faithful Christian upbringing, by his marriage and parish life, and by...

Welcome to Part 2 of our interview with Alfred Paul “Al” Mueller. This episode continues the previous discussion about servant leadership; in particular, about Al’s parents and family. You’ll hear a classic “Al and Kathy” courtship story. You’ll hear some beautiful reflections about the Mueller’s family joy in service. You’ll hear some faithful advice about how to become part of a congregational family when you move, and you’ll hea...

Back in the day at St. Paul’s, Alfred Paul “Al” Mueller was known for giving “a little elbow” to someone who ran the baseline too vigorously in the men’s pick-up basketball games. You’ll find a different Al in this interview: gentle, deeply thoughtful, thankful, at rest of soul in Christ. A couple weeks back listeners heard from Al’s effervescent wife, Kathy. Here you’ll find a man deeply thankful for the lessons in servant-leaders...

Part 2 of our interview with Kathy Jane Mueller centers in the importance of worship in the Christian life. Kathy—in her own charitable and humorous way—helps us understand how following Christ into active participation in the congregation is important. As Kathy notes, when you make yourself available, the Lord will send someone in your path to welcome you and make you feel at home and include you, and it will strengthen your faith...

Welcome to Part 2 of “The Salutation is Not a Holy Howdy.” As our guest, Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill notes, when—as a pastoral greeting—The Salutation is given, “the knot of love between pastor and people is strengthened.” We speak about how and when the pastor is to speak The Salutation, and we move from there into a broader conversation about different aspects of the liturgy, the pastor’s conduct of the liturgy, and the evangelical an...

When the Pastor says, “The Lord be with you,” and the congregation responds with, “And with thy spirit” it is NOT the way the church says, “Hello,” even though it is often treated as such. That back and forth is called, "The Salutation.” As our special guest, liturgical scholar, Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill tells us, The Salutation is both a greeting and a blessing. It’s use in the Church goes all the way back to the earliest liturgies. ...

2025 was the 1700th anniversary of the orthodox church’s confession of faith that we call the “Nicene Creed.” During the fall and early winter of 2025 Pastor Jason Schockman taught a class—and preached an Advent sermon series—at St. Paul’s—Oconomowoc based on the book Worshiped and Glorified: A Study of the Nicene Creed, by Rev. Tim Winterstein. In episodes 101 and 102 of CHRIST IN ALL THINGS we interview the author and discuss som...

Laughter is a great gift of God, and laughing at ourselves is a healthy part of a faithful, Christian life. Because St. Paul’s has a number of pastor’s kids in the congregation we thought it would be fun to give a few of them an opportunity to laugh and tell stories (That can be told in public 😊) about their pastor-dads and a pastor’s family life. So, we’ve called this series, “Holy Humor.” This is “Holy Humor: Pastor’s Kids, Part...

Welcome to Part 2 of our interview with Mimi Gebel, who was born in 1928. What a vibrant and generous and resolute Christian soul she is! Her interview is a fascinating window into German and German-American culture, including the almost “arranged” relationship with a boy named Wally, who became her beloved husband and with whom she operated a successful business that put her God-given skills to work in myriad ways. As you’ll hear,...