Sorta Sacred
Honest, human, lightly irreverent, grounded in something deeper. This podcast explores stories, reflections, and conversations about life intersecting with faith.
Hosted by Mark Niethammer and Jessica Taylor. Mark is the senior pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, Iowa. He is a wine enthusiast, enjoys all things outdoorsy, and is optimistically pessimistic by nature. Mark has been in ordained ministry for more than 15 years.
Meanwhile, Jessica is the director of communication at St. Paul. She is a whine enthusiast, enjoys all things indoorsy, and is pessimistically optimistic by nurture.
St. Paul Lutheran Church is a 3,500-member ELCA church located in the Quad Cities.
Sorta Sacred
Year of Joy
For 2025, Melissa Pepper's mantra is JOY. But what does that actually mean when you're navigating leadership responsibilities, medical challenges, parenting decisions, and the everyday chaos of life?
Whether you've never thought about choosing a personal mantra or you're a seasoned practitioner, Melissa's insights will inspire you to think differently about what it means to pursue joy—not as an escape from reality, but as a practice that changes how you move through it.
Books recommended by Melissa:
Designing your life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
Kate Bowler Devotional: Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection
Join the playlist:
When you need a little boost (and at some point we all do), tune into the Joy Jams playlist inspired by today's episode. Listen to JOY JAMS
Do you have a song or songs that bring you joy? Let us know and we'll continue to build this playlist!
Thanks to the incredible production team of Sorta Sacred:
Music: Brian Schou
Tech support: Miles Thompson
Design: Lauren Brown
Merch: Allison Winter