What Does Seminary Actually Teach You About Real Life? A Conversation with Kate Souther

What Does Seminary Actually Teach You About Real Life? A Conversation with Kate Souther

In this episode of Together for Good, Nate sits down with Kate Souther after her first year of seminary to talk about what big theology has to do with everyday life. They explore the Book of Job, loving people we tend to exclude, creation care, scapegoating, and why grace keeps us moving without despair. Kate also shares what is drawing her toward parish ministry and the holy gifts of baptism and communion. What You’ll Learn * Ask honest questions when faith does not give easy answers. * See how the Book of Job makes room for messy faith and hope. * Connect creation care with grace, not shame. * Notice how scapegoating harms neighbors and communities. * Hear why baptism and communion still give the church hope. Chapters 0:00 Theology nerds rejoice: meet Kate Souther 1:00 Back from seminary and Bethany summer internship 2:00 Practical theology, service, and reflection 3:00 Embrace, exclusion, and loving people who are different 7:00 Scapegoating, blame, and breaking the cycle 13:00 Job, suffering, and faith without easy answers 20:00 Old Testament, New Testament, and the danger of splitting God 25:00 Creation care, climate change, and Christian hope 31:00 Grace, guilt, shame, and action shaped by love 34:00 Kate’s call to parish ministry and the sacraments 37:00 Closing thoughts and stay in peace If this conversation encouraged you, like this video, subscribe to Bethany, and share it with someone who cares about faith, hope, creation care, and honest dialogue. Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org [http://www.bethany-denver.org]

Sunday School Remix: Why Did God Give the Ten Commandments?

What if the Ten Commandments are not about earning God’s love, but about learning how to live after being set free? In this episode of Sunday School Remix, Pastor Nate looks at Exodus 20 and reframes the commandments as a gift rooted in grace, freedom, and community. God frees Israel first, then shows them a new way to live that does not repeat the fear, control, and exhaustion of Egypt. What You’ll Learn: * See why Exodus 20 starts with freedom, not fear * Understand how the commandments protect relationships * Learn why Sabbath is a gift, not just a rule * Notice how “no other gods” frees us from needing control * Imagine a community shaped by grace, rest, truth, and love Chapters: 0:00 What if the Ten Commandments are about freedom? 0:35 Why we often hear them as rules 1:20 Why the preamble matters 2:05 God forms a people through the Word 3:30 Relationship comes before rules 5:10 Free people need a new way to live 6:10 The commandments as anti-Pharaoh rules 7:15 Why “no other gods” changes everything 9:10 Images, God’s name, and what we attach to God 10:35 Sabbath reminds us we are not machines 12:15 The commandments shape a different kind of community 13:15 Freedom takes practice 14:25 God is God, and we are not 15:25 Closing Like this video, subscribe to Bethany’s channel, and share it with someone who is rethinking faith, grace, or the Ten Commandments. Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org [http://www.bethany-denver.org]

How Can Faith Help Kids Talk About Anxiety? A Conversation with Deacon Debra Uppendahl-Alba

What does faith have to say when life feels stressful, uncertain, or too much to carry alone? In this episode of Together 4 Good, Pastor Nate talks with Deacon Debra about Bethany Day Camp, the Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp curriculum, and how Philippians 4:6–7 helps kids and adults bring their anxiety, questions, and gratitude to God. What You’ll Learn: * How Bethany’s Day Camp connects with Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp * Why Philippians 4 speaks honestly about anxiety and peace * How kids can learn to bring every feeling to God * Why gratitude does not erase hard things, but helps us see God in the moment * How service and generosity help children put faith into action Chapters:00:00 Coming up on Together4Good 00:34 Welcome to the Bethany Art Room 01:00 How Deacon Debra joined the Rainbow Trail curriculum team 03:35 Turning big theology into kid-friendly lessons 05:12 Why Rainbow Trail creates its own ELCA curriculum 07:00 The work behind writing Day Camp lessons 09:16 Philippians 4:6–7 and the theme for the week 10:27 Talking with kids about anxiety and faith 11:27 God can handle every feeling 12:17 Deacon Debra’s personal connection to Philippians 4 13:24 Prayer, community, and letting go of control 14:12 Gratitude when life does not go as planned 16:00 Open hands, parenting, and living in the moment 17:35 Crafts, snacks, and hands-on learning 19:00 Day Camp outreach and collecting mac and cheese for IFCS 20:12 How Bethany’s gifts bless the wider church 21:10 Day Camp registration is still open If this conversation encouraged you, like this video, subscribe to Bethany’s YouTube channel, and share it with someone who could use a reminder that God is big enough to hold what we carry. Connect with Bethany:📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org [http://www.bethany-denver.org/]

Sunday School Remix: Adam & Eve — Shame, Blame, and the Real Story

You’ve heard the story of Adam and Eve before: a snake, an apple, a garden, and a whole lot of trouble.But what if that’s not what the story was ever meant to be about?In this first episode of Sunday School Remix, Pastor Nate digs into the Garden of Eden story with grown-up eyes. Together, we look at how this ancient story speaks to our world today, where we still wrestle with control, guilt, and the temptation to “play God.”-Maybe the serpent wasn’t Satan.-Maybe the fruit wasn’t an apple.-And maybe the real “fall” was never about disobedience at all — but about shame and blame.In this episode:-The surprising details Genesis actually says (and doesn’t say)-Why calling the serpent “Satan” misses the point-The connection between the fig tree and Jesus’ last week-How shame and blame became humanity’s oldest reflex-What it means to let God be God — and live unashamed✨ Sunday School Remix is a new Together 4 Good series re-examining familiar Bible stories to uncover what they really tell us about faith, humanity, and grace today.📍 Listen & Subscribe:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-making-sense-of-life-and-faith/id1529196060 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA 💬 Tell us what story you want to see remixed next! 🙏 Bethany Lutheran Church ELCA | Cherry Hills Village, CO https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver

How Can Churches Help Immigrants and Refugees Today? A Conversation with Rev. Eric Shafer

Pastor Nate talks with Pastor Eric Shafer, Pastor in Residence at Global Refuge, about refugees, immigration, faith, and what it means to love our neighbors in real life. This Together 4 Good conversation explores why refugee support is deeply connected to Christian faith, Lutheran history, and the biblical call to welcome the stranger. Eric shares how Global Refuge supports immigrants and refugees through welcome centers, legal support, community partnerships, and long-term care. Together, Nate and Eric talk about how churches can respond with compassion, clarity, prayer, learning, advocacy, and action. What You’ll Learn: * What refugees are and why safety is central to the conversation * Why Scripture calls Christians to welcome immigrants and refugees * How Global Refuge helps people rebuild their lives * How Lutheran churches have supported refugee resettlement for decades * How individuals and congregations can help refugees through prayer, giving, learning, and advocacy Chapters:00:00 Coming up on Together 4 Good00:36 Meet Pastor Eric Shafer of Global Refuge03:34 Why refugee ministry is part of a pastor’s call05:00 What Scripture says about welcoming strangers05:45 A bold claim about faith, immigrants, and refugees07:44 Responding to pushback with faith and compassion09:23 The Lutheran history of refugee support11:00 Refugees, asylum, and common misunderstandings11:35 What does refugee mean?14:00 What Global Refuge welcome centers do16:20 How Jesus responds to people in need17:30 Why immigration needs order and compassion20:30 How people and churches can help refugees21:20 Faith Alliance training for congregations22:00 Advocacy, local support, and prayer25:00 World Refugee Day and Lutheran history26:00 Gratitude for churches supporting refugee work If this conversation helped you think more clearly about faith, refugees, immigration, and loving your neighbor, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who may want to learn more about Global Refuge and how churches can support refugee neighbors. Connect with Bethany:📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org [http://www.bethany-denver.org]