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PODCAST · religion

Faith First

by First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, IA

Dig into God’s word with informal conversation around the scripture and ways to apply the message to our lives. We’ll pray for you, chat about what’s brewing around our church, First Lutheran in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and take your questions about faith and life. Join us as we put our Faith First.

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Episodes

  1. Building Trust in Each Other

    Pr. Craig & Pr. Katie talk about how the sixth commandment Do Not Commit Adultery really is a call to build trust in each other from Christ.

  2. Giving Life to Others

    Pr. Steve interprets the fifth commandment Do not murder as one that calls us to look out for and give life to our neighbors while Pr. Craig chats up his childhood friend and Pulitzer Prize winning Author Daniel Kraus about his new movie "Whalefall."

  3. Honoring Those Who Came Before Us

    Pr. Katie and Pr. Craig break out the bling to encourage those going on the cancer walk this weekend while they ponder what Love Does in God’s commandment to honor our fathers and mothers.

  4. Finding Rest in Christ

    Pr. Craig & Pr. Katie dig deep into the Third Commandment: Remember the Sabbath and Keep it Holy. They uncovered it's much more than just going to church, but releasing ourselves (and our neighbors) from the slavery of our schedules to rest our spirits.

  5. The Power of a Name

    Pr. Katie and Pr. Craig talk about the importance of lifting up each other by name as we unpack the positive side of God’s 2nd Commandment and Pr. Craig gives us an important update, challenge and opportunity around our Saturday Evening Meal Program.

  6. Hawks' Heavy Hearts

    FLC Members and former Hawkeye Marching Band Members Arlene Houk and Pr. Craig share their grief over losing band member Derek Phillips and the outpouring of love they’ve experienced from across the country while Pr. Steve opens our Love Does Worship Series with the First Commandment.

  7. Discovering What Love Does

    Pr. Steve, Leroy, and Craig discuss the positive side of The Ten Commandments in a new worship series and all-church study we're kicking off this weekend called "Love Does." Discover how is God calling you to love and care for your neighbor in a new way every week through each of the commandments.

  8. Love Like Dolly

    Cedar Rapids #1 Dolly Parton fan Cindy Shadrick talks with Pr. Craig about meeting and portraying the beloved American Icon, her faith, and her continued impact on us as we hear Christ's call to love and care for each other.

  9. You've ALWAYS Belonged Here

    Pr. Steve talks about the different titles we give Jesus and how a special connection with Peter indicates to Peter and to us that we've always belonged as a part of his Church.

  10. Lord, Help Me

    Pr. Craig talks about what he longed for to hear while on sabbatical while he and Maddy Newhouse discuss our BIGGER Tent Event party coming up Aug. 23.

  11. Water Walk

    Pastor Katie unlocks the scriptures as we put Faith First (Apologies for the delay; the editor is crazy busy rn)

  12. Feeding Hungry Mouths

    Pastor Katie guides us through the word as we put Faith First

  13. The Kingdom of Heaven is Like...

    Pastor Katie unlocks the scriptures with us as we put Faith First

  14. Sow and Reap in the Kingdom

    Pastor Steve unlocks the scripture as we put Faith First

  15. How to be a Good Farmer

    Pastor Steve helps us understand the scriptures as we put Faith First

  16. Finding Joy in Jesus

    We can find life and joy in Jesus and not in the world. Pastor Steve guides us as we put Faith First

  17. Where Does Faith Go?

    Pastor Katie unlocks the scripture as we put Faith First

  18. Who Are You Following?

    Pastor Katie guides us to who our shepered should be as we put Faith First

  19. How Will We Respond?

    Pastor Katie helps us dive deeper into the word as we put Faith First

  20. Pentacost Podcast

    Pastor Kaite leads us through the scripture as we put faith first

  21. Peace Be With You

    Pastor Katie dives into the scriptures as we put faith first

  22. Making the Most of Right Now

    Pastor Steve unlocks the scriptures as we put Faith First

  23. A Deeper Meaning for Mother's Day

    Pastor Steve teaches on the gospel and unlcoks the scriptures for us as we put faith first

  24. Celebrate Good Times!

    After nearly a decade of praying and planning, our Building Dedication weekend is upon us! Pr. Steve and Pr. Craig discuss the magnitude of God's call on our collective hearts to re-invest into downtown Cedar Rapids and the people God brings to our doors to serve.

  25. Let Me Hear Ya!

    Can you recognize all these voices? Pr. Craig & Pr. Katie muse about the science of voice recognition and how God uses that from the time we are babies through our call into re-birth of eternal life.

  26. On the Road Again

    Pr. Steve and Pr. Craig muse about hearing voices on the road to Emmaus while Jesus has a real and impressive encounter with a few of his followers. Daniel Luepke expands the conversation and Jasmine Wu and Keith Abkes talk about journeying a different road - a bike path - to carry out Christ's...

  27. Dark Side of the Moon

    Pr. Craig shares an inspiring quote from the astronauts traveling to the dark side of the moon who tell us that Jesus is with them in their darkness and will be with us on the other side when light dawns and will be with all of us no matter what darkness we face today.

  28. One Word Easter Sermon

    Pr. Steve talks about the power of Jesus' speaking Mary's name after raising from the dead on Easter Sunday. He says the re-connection between them is the crescendo of the story and is the same for us when Christ speaks our name.

  29. Artistic Passion

    Pr. Craig gives us the behind-the-scenes theology represented in our purple paraments and other artwork in the sanctuary as Christ makes his journey from Palm Sunday to the empty tomb of Easter in a great act of love for the world.

  30. Episode 150!

    For our milestone 150th episode, Pastors Steve, Craig & Katie spend the entire time talking with each other about their 5 most memorable moments in ministry together over 90 years of collective service to the church.

  31. Asking the Right Questions

    Pr. Craig & Pr. Steve talk about your reactions to our Wednesday worship & concert series while Pr. Steve ponders if we are asking the right questions in this week's scripture of the man born blind.

  32. I Noticed That...

    Pr. Craig draws a comparison with the woman at the well and how God uses us as broken vessels to hold so much more than water! Meanwhile Pr. Katie shares how Jesus notices the same woman with radical inclusivity and ponders that perhaps we are called to notice people as well so they feel seen,...

  33. For God so Loved...How Does it Go?

    Pr. Steve takes us inside one of the most well-known scriptures in the world, John 3:16, and helps us see it with new eyes. We break it down word for word and discover what it might mean for us today.

  34. Beginning the Conversation with Jesus

    As we enter into our Lenten series "Conversations with Jesus" Pr. Steve teaches us that God gets things going with the first word on Ash Wednesday while Pr. Katie opens her heart around the upcoming scriptures.

  35. Light Amidst the Darkness

    Pr. Brian Scott of Lutheran World Relief tells some inspiring stories of how the light of church of Christ is growing and shinning into dark places. Likewise Pr. Craig unravels a mountaintop experience with Jesus that helps light our way into the valley below.

  36. What is the Church?

    What is the point of the Church? Pr. Steve ponders this question for us while Maddy Newhouse gives us the skinny on HUGS, an effort to better welcome people into our new space.

  37. Building New Pillars

    When the church loses someone important who people look to for leadership in the congregation, what happens then? Pr. Craig ponders how God might be calling each of us to take a step forward in our faith to honor their dedication to our shared cause for Christ's mission and passion for people in...

  38. From Holy Land Nets to the USA

    Special Guests Claudine and Jamil Zoughbi talk about Christ calling the disciples from their fishing nets and how similarly God called them from their home in the Holy Land to be missionaries here in the United States. Meet Pr. Steve's family friends from across the ocean in this week's episode.

  39. God in the Water

    Pr. Katie talks about the importance of Jesus being baptized in the very same way we his followers will do and the special bond and connection that creates with us and our Lord, the very savior of the whole world.

  40. Inside the #s

    Pr. Craig talks about our attendance at our amazing Christmas Eve services and takes you behind the numbers to see how it all gets put together. Plus...is God sending you a sign? We'll discuss the Magi and signs from above in this special year-end episode.

  41. Christmas Light

    Pr. Katie shares her Christmas Eve message about being the light of Christ, Pr. Craig pays tribute to a faithful staff member who says good-bye, and Pr. Steve has some very special prayers for us on our Christmas episode!

  42. God our Peace

    Pr. Katie talks about God bringing peace through the message of an angel to Jesus' father, Joseph, amongst the chaos of the circumstances around his birth and how God delivers that same peace to you and I today.

  43. Are you THE GUY?!

    Pr. Steve ponders perhaps the biggest question of the Christian faith...is Jesus who he says he is? And if Jesus is in fact the savior of our entire world, how does the God of Love make himself known in our world today?

  44. God Our Hope

    Pr. Craig talks about all the decluttering books getting suggested to him on his social media this week. A message from God, maybe? At the same time, John the Baptist has a similar call for us to "clear the way" in our hearts for the coming Christ.

  45. Catalog Christmas

    Remember circling things you wanted for Christmas in the Sears, JC Penny, or Montgomery Ward's catalog? Pr. Steve talks about similarly what people of faith do to prepare for the coming of Christ in this week's episode.

  46. Hard and Soft Power

    This week we celebrate that Christ is our King, but Pr. Steve ponders what kind of power will he exert in our lives? The "hard" power we know and use to get our own way in this world or a "soft" power that leads to eternal forgiveness and peace?

  47. The Call to Serve

    This Veterans Day Week Pr. Craig recounts the story of meeting a military chaplain who brought a Christmas Miracle to our congregation. It's a great example where 1st John says Christ compels us to help each other because of the great love he has first given us.

  48. Seeing the Least

    FLC Member Alicia Murphy talks about our church's response to the increased need in our community as Pr. Steve challenges us to "see" Christ in the middle of it as it plays out in real time around us.

  49. Announcing YOU BELONG!

    Pr. Craig talks about announcing for the Hawkeye Marching Band and how God announces to all of us on All Saints Day that you belong! This is all thanks to God's work on the cross through the power of the Holy Spirit which connects us to all those who have lived and died in the faith.

  50. Greece, Reformation, & the Spirit

    Pr. Steve shares the moments that gave him the most goosebumps while walking in the footsteps of Paul in Greece and Turkey with church members and gives us some insight to his upcoming message about the Holy Spirit of Reformation to our Confirmands.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Dig into God’s word with informal conversation around the scripture and ways to apply the message to our lives. We’ll pray for you, chat about what’s brewing around our church, First Lutheran in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and take your questions about faith and life. Join us as we put our Faith First.

HOSTED BY

First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Faith First have?

Faith First currently has 172 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Faith First about?

Dig into God’s word with informal conversation around the scripture and ways to apply the message to our lives. We’ll pray for you, chat about what’s brewing around our church, First Lutheran in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and take your questions about faith and life. Join us as we put our Faith First.

How often does Faith First release new episodes?

Faith First publishes regularly with 172 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to Faith First?

You can listen to Faith First on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Faith First?

Faith First is created and hosted by First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, IA.
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