Religion in Life: Winter/Spring 2026
Religion in Life
Sundays, 11:10 a.m.
Religion In Life (St. Michael’s adult education forum) provides an opportunity to learn together. People from the congregation and community engage in lectures and conversation with various guest presenters and discuss a variety of topics—from Bible and theology, to Community Life and Justice Issues, to Health, Wellness, Spirituality, and Art.
Religion in Life begins at 11:10 a.m. in the courtyard room. Additionally, we plan to live-stream and record many of the Religion in Life sessions so that they are available to a broader audience and can be viewed at other times.
Upcoming schedule
Sunday, February 1 No Religion in Life this Sunday
All are invited to attend lunch & Annual Congregational Meeting
Sunday, February 8 Warriors Next Adventure, Nick Rahn
Nick grew up at St Michael’s and is founder/CEO of the local non-profit Warriors Next Adventure, an organization that helps veterans overcome PTSD. Nick will share about his experience crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a row boat with a team of veterans as part of a fundraising event. This adventure encountered disaster and was featured on PBS in a documentary titled “Defying Death on the Atlantic”.
If you want to watch this documentary prior to Nick’s presentation on 2/1, it can be accessed through PBS Passport, the PBS link to Defying Death on the Atlantic is https://www.pbs.org/show/defying-death-on-the-atlantic/ or you can get if for free on Youtube at https://youtu.be/7rduKW2lzmE
Sunday, February 15 Roseville Fire Department: Evolving to Meet the Needs of the Community, David Brosnahan, Fire Chief, Roseville
The presentation will detail current and existing demands on Fire and emergency medical service (EMS) needs, an overview of our staffing program and potential future staffing program, as well as show many of the internal and external mental health practices we have instituted.
David Brosnahan is the Fire Chief of the Roseville Fire Department. He has been a member of the Roseville Fire Department serving in different leadership capacities for 23 years and has been the Fire Chief since June 2021. He has a bachelor of arts degree from Hamline University and resides with his family of four in the City of Roseville, near the University of Northwestern.
Sunday, February 22 The History of West 7th Ave, Joe Landsberger, historian
Joe Landsberger will present on the history of West 7th Avenue in St. Paul. His book’s 420 pages are illustrated with 1069 images, 85% over 100 years, as well as commissioned illustrations, documented with 263 endnotes. All proceeds/sales benefit local non-profits including St. Michael’s. The illustrated presentation will summarize the trajectory and history of this area of the Twin Cities.
Joe Landsberger is a lifelong Saint Paul resident with a productive academic career supporting students. During his residency and after retirement he organizes neighborhood projects that culminated in this history: The Origin Study of Fort Road/West Seventh Street, the Township/City of Saint Paul, the Territory/State of Minnesota, Glacial Age Forward. Two themes, immigrants and volunteers, track the narrative of the history of this first neighborhood of our state’s formation.
Sundays, March 1 & 8 Spiritual First Aid, Cody Sanders, professor at Luther Seminary
Cody Sanders lifts up how spiritual care is inherently cultivated in every vibrant community–congregations and otherwise–and that every community member contributes to providing care for others. However, many congregations and community members lack confidence in their caring skills. In Spiritual Care First Aid, Sanders provides an accessible introduction to spiritual care characterized by mutuality, empathy, and compassion.
Recognizing that not everyone is a clinician, Sanders provides instruction in basic skills of spiritual care in a way nearly anyone can use. Cody offers an approach of hearing, helping, and healing so whoever is near can serve as a spiritual-care first responder when and where needed. Together we will gain skills and confidence in their abilities to provide peer-to-peer care that contributes to their communities in life-sustaining ways.
Cody J. Sanders (he/him) is an ordained Baptist minister (Alliance of Baptists and American Baptist Churches U.S.A.). He teaches at Luther Seminary in the areas of pastoral theology and spiritual care within congregational and community contexts, having taught on the adjunct faculties in this area in several other institutions, including Andover Newton Theological School and Chicago Theological Seminary.
Prior to joining the faculty of Luther Seminary, Sanders was pastor to Old Cambridge Baptist Church in Cambridge, MA, where he also served as American Baptist Chaplain to Harvard University, and Advisor for LGBTQ+ Affairs in the Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Religion in Life
Sundays, 11:10 a.m.
Religion In Life (St. Michael’s adult education forum) provides an opportunity to learn together. People from the congregation and community engage in lectures and conversation with various guest presenters and discuss a variety of topics—from Bible and theology, to Community Life and Justice Issues, to Health, Wellness, Spirituality, and Art.
Religion in Life begins at 11:10 a.m. in the courtyard room. Additionally, we plan to live-stream and record many of the Religion in Life sessions so that they are available to a broader audience and can be viewed at other times.
Upcoming schedule
Sunday, February 1 No Religion in Life this Sunday
All are invited to attend lunch & Annual Congregational Meeting
Sunday, February 8 Warriors Next Adventure, Nick Rahn
Nick grew up at St Michael’s and is founder/CEO of the local non-profit Warriors Next Adventure, an organization that helps veterans overcome PTSD. Nick will share about his experience crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a row boat with a team of veterans as part of a fundraising event. This adventure encountered disaster and was featured on PBS in a documentary titled “Defying Death on the Atlantic”.
If you want to watch this documentary prior to Nick’s presentation on 2/1, it can be accessed through PBS Passport, the PBS link to Defying Death on the Atlantic is https://www.pbs.org/show/defying-death-on-the-atlantic/ or you can get if for free on Youtube at https://youtu.be/7rduKW2lzmE
Sunday, February 15 Roseville Fire Department: Evolving to Meet the Needs of the Community, David Brosnahan, Fire Chief, Roseville
The presentation will detail current and existing demands on Fire and emergency medical service (EMS) needs, an overview of our staffing program and potential future staffing program, as well as show many of the internal and external mental health practices we have instituted.
David Brosnahan is the Fire Chief of the Roseville Fire Department. He has been a member of the Roseville Fire Department serving in different leadership capacities for 23 years and has been the Fire Chief since June 2021. He has a bachelor of arts degree from Hamline University and resides with his family of four in the City of Roseville, near the University of Northwestern.
Sunday, February 22 The History of West 7th Ave, Joe Landsberger, historian
Joe Landsberger will present on the history of West 7th Avenue in St. Paul. His book’s 420 pages are illustrated with 1069 images, 85% over 100 years, as well as commissioned illustrations, documented with 263 endnotes. All proceeds/sales benefit local non-profits including St. Michael’s. The illustrated presentation will summarize the trajectory and history of this area of the Twin Cities.
Joe Landsberger is a lifelong Saint Paul resident with a productive academic career supporting students. During his residency and after retirement he organizes neighborhood projects that culminated in this history: The Origin Study of Fort Road/West Seventh Street, the Township/City of Saint Paul, the Territory/State of Minnesota, Glacial Age Forward. Two themes, immigrants and volunteers, track the narrative of the history of this first neighborhood of our state’s formation.
Sundays, March 1 & 8 Spiritual First Aid, Cody Sanders, professor at Luther Seminary
Cody Sanders lifts up how spiritual care is inherently cultivated in every vibrant community–congregations and otherwise–and that every community member contributes to providing care for others. However, many congregations and community members lack confidence in their caring skills. In Spiritual Care First Aid, Sanders provides an accessible introduction to spiritual care characterized by mutuality, empathy, and compassion.
Recognizing that not everyone is a clinician, Sanders provides instruction in basic skills of spiritual care in a way nearly anyone can use. Cody offers an approach of hearing, helping, and healing so whoever is near can serve as a spiritual-care first responder when and where needed. Together we will gain skills and confidence in their abilities to provide peer-to-peer care that contributes to their communities in life-sustaining ways.
Cody J. Sanders (he/him) is an ordained Baptist minister (Alliance of Baptists and American Baptist Churches U.S.A.). He teaches at Luther Seminary in the areas of pastoral theology and spiritual care within congregational and community contexts, having taught on the adjunct faculties in this area in several other institutions, including Andover Newton Theological School and Chicago Theological Seminary.
Prior to joining the faculty of Luther Seminary, Sanders was pastor to Old Cambridge Baptist Church in Cambridge, MA, where he also served as American Baptist Chaplain to Harvard University, and Advisor for LGBTQ+ Affairs in the Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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St. Michael's Lutheran Church
1660 West County Road B Roseville, MN 55113 651-631-1510 Worship Service Times September through May: Sunday 10:00 a.m. & Wednesday 6:10 pm. (7:00 p.m. in Lent) June through August: Sunday 10:00 a.m. & Monday 7:00 p.m. (except holidays) |
