Episodes

Belonging matters! What does it mean to find a place where you truly belong? Join hosts, Karin Peter and Blake Smith, as they explore Jacob's dream at Bethel (Genesis 28:10–19) as a story of pilgrimage, migration, and unexpected encounters with God's presence. Reflect on how our journeys—whether across borders, through life's transitions, or back to cherished places—shape our identity and reveal that our deepest home is found in God's abiding presence. Listen to more episodes in the Coffee to G...

Even as air quality warnings have been issues as a result of raging fires in the Western USA, we once again find ourselves in the midst of camping season, So, while campgrounds are on our minds, why not think creatively about how to sustain those resources while contributing to environmental justice? As you’ll hear in this episode in the Climate Brewing Series that originally aired in July of 2024, there are several things we can do. Join host Susan Oxley, as she sits down with fellow Climate Ju...

Are you playing it safe with your life, or are you scattering your gifts with reckless abandon? In this episode of Coffee to Go, hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith dig into the famous Parable of the Sower from the Gospel of Matthew. Positioned in the midst of "Ordinary Time"—the liturgical season built for growing in our discipleship—this scripture challenges us to look closely at the soil of our own hearts. Listen to other episodes in the Coffee to Go series. Download the transcript. Thanks f...

The wait is over! In this episode of Grounds for Peace, host Blake Smith sits down with Joelle Wight, director of the upcoming 2026 Peace Forum, to talk about the highly anticipated return of the church's flagship peace event. Joelle shares how we can embrace "faithful disagreement" with wonder, what to expect from the brand-new Creative Reuse Pop-Up, and the incredibly inclusive ways for adults, youth, and global online congregations to participate. Secure your early bird registration before S...

There is no shame in being thankful for one’s blessings, especially as they relate to one’s country of origin or residence...as long as the gratitude is grounded in an understanding that God doesn’t favor any one nation over another. After all, God is God of all the nations. It’s important to remember that people everywhere are God’s children ... all of whom have common hopes and dreams. Join host Robin Linkhart for a spiritual practice of dwelling in a hymn that helps us remember just that. Thi...

We could all use some rest... right? In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin and Blake explore Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11 to move beyond the exhausting patterns of busyness, striving, and self-sufficiency into a life of rest, learning, and faithful discipleship. Reflecting on the image of "infants in faith," they discuss the openness, trust, and humility that allow us to receive God's wisdom and grace. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and settle in for a timely reminder that true whol...

What is the Christian Church? Why is it important for Christians to meet together in fellowship and worship? In a social climate where division and marginalization of others seem to be trending in the wrong direction, it’s important for us to remember the place and purpose of the Church. Join host Carla Long and guests Tony and Charmaine Chvala-Smith for this discussion on various models the church can be and its theological purpose as they explore the term "ecclesiology," which originally aired...

Things are heating up in Rome! Paul's passionate challenge in Romans 6:12–23 pushes his listeners (and ours) to choose a life shaped by grace rather than the forces that pull us away from God's purposes. Join Karin and Blake as they unpack difficult biblical language around righteousness and slavery, reframing righteousness as radical mercy, compassion, and hospitality that go beyond what is expected. Listen in, and then reflect on the influences that control your life and consider what...

What happens when a congregation stops trying to do everything on its own and starts partnering with its community? In this inspiring episode of What's Brewing, Robin Linkhart talks with Ruth Richardson about how the Kirkwood Community of Christ congregation transformed a simple outreach effort into a thriving ministry of dignity, generosity, and relationship. Through partnerships with Kirk Care and countless community volunteers, Ruth shares how taking a faithful risk created ripple effects of ...

Although some people see it as such, grace is not a free pass to sin! In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the idea of "newness of life" offered through Christ. Together they wrestle with the tension between grace and discipleship, reminding listeners that grace is not a license to remain unchanged but an invitation to walk a new path. Join them as they reflect on how God's grace accompanies us every step of the journey toward transformation and freedom. Listen t...

Do you have to be religious to live a good life? In this thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation, Shannon McAdam and Jack Hindle explore what it really means to be a "good person" through the lenses of honesty, self-reflection, compassion, grace, and community. Together they wrestle with questions about spirituality, accountability, human nature, and the challenge of choosing what is right over what is comfortable. Along the way, they discover that a good life may be less about having all the a...

This week on Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the story of Abraham and Sarah, where hospitality, divine promise, and unexpected laughter intersect. Through Sarah’s famous exchange with God, they uncover the humor woven into scripture and reflect on how God’s presence accompanies us through uncertainty and surprise. The conversation invites listeners to consider what it means to welcome strangers, trust God’s promises, and find joy even in life’s most improbable moments. Join us ...

This episode is being reposted as a part of a series of conversations sturred by the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The word Zion has been an integral part of Community of Christ’s journey as a people, but now it is being used by others in ways that are confusing and contradictory. In this episode of Say What?, host Mary Anne and Kassie sit down with Steve Kellogg, member of the Community of Christ Peace and Justice Team, and author of 2025 World Conference Resolution G-2. Listen in to se...

As the church enters Ordinary Time, Paul’s letter to the Romans invites us to wrestle with a timeless question: Is faith about following rules, or responding to grace? Karin and Blake explore Paul’s winding theological argument, uncovering how faith, grace, and God’s promises work together to shape lives marked by mercy and compassion. Along the way, they reflect on their own journeys from rule-keeping to grace-giving and challenge listeners to consider how extending grace to others might transf...

Courageous compassion, prophetic witness, and faithful engagement in a hurting world are all a part of being a disciple of Jesus, the Peaceful One. Join Blake Smith and Linda Stanbridge in a conversation that explores difficult questions surrounding advocacy, empathy, media attention, and the call to stand with vulnerable communities while affirming the worth and dignity of all people. Grounded in Christian discipleship and peacemaking, the discussion offers practical ways to move beyond awarene...

This episode of Awaken to God’s Presence offers a guided practice for connecting with the divine during troubled times. Host Robin Linkhart, leads listeners in a prayer recognizing Pride Month, which honors the LGBTQ community and its contributions. The prayer asks for courage to be true to oneself, love and acceptance of neighbors, and justice and equality for all. It also prays for those seeking to understand diversity, for a world free of discrimination, and for love and acceptance to prevail...

Trinity Sunday invites us into one of Christianity’s most profound and challenging ideas: God as divine community. In this episode, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore how our language for God shapes our understanding of the sacred, the importance of inclusive imagery for the divine, and why expanding our vocabulary can create space for more people to encounter God. Through thoughtful conversation and practical spiritual practices, they encourage listeners to experience the Trinity in fresh ways...

How can we work for Peace in Israel/Palestine? This series is co-sponsored by the Community of Christ World Peace and Justice Team. Andrew Bolton and Steve Kellogg are members of the Israel/Palestine sub-team of the World Church Peace and Justice Committee. The Peace and Justice Team is working for a just peace in Israel/Palestine guided by Community of Christ’s Enduring Principles and the World Conference resolution on Israel/Palestine of 2016: Resolved, That Community of Christ specifically ...

What does Pentecost have to say in a world shaped by division, nationalism, and fear of difference? In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the story of Acts 2—not as a tale of spectacle, but as a radical vision of inclusion, diversity, and God’s Spirit moving beyond borders, labels, and walls. Together they reflect on the Spirit as wind, fire, and holy disruption, asking where divine presence is breaking barriers in our own communities today. Join the conversation a...

What happens when people of faith move beyond conversation and step into advocacy? In this episode of Grounds for Peace, participants from the Churches for Middle East Peace Joint Advocacy Summit reflect on lobbying in Washington, DC, interfaith partnerships, Palestinian and Israeli human rights, and the call to pursue justice rooted in faith. Through stories of difficult conversations, unexpected hope, and encounters with lawmakers, they wrestle with what it means to “plant seeds” for peace in ...

Wait. Rest. Bless. As Easter gives way to Ascension Sunday and the anticipation of Pentecost, this episode of Coffee to Go explores what it means to be “story bearers” of hope, love, and Christ’s witness in the world. Reflecting on Jesus’ final words to the disciples, Karin Peter and Blake Smith consider the sacred invitation to wait, rest, and receive before stepping into renewed purpose. In a culture that resists slowing down, they ask: What if waiting itself is a blessing? Join the conversati...

Several members of Community of Christ recently attended the Churches for Middle East Peace Conference, and we're going to run a set of episodes covering the topic ... some looking back and some looking forward. We're setting the stage by reposting this episode from April of 2025. There’s way more to the conflict in Israel/Palestine than is covered in the daily news cycle. The real truth is eye-opening and gut-wrenching. In this episode of Grounds for Peace, host Robin Linkhart sits down with m...

Sometimes we have to wrestle with tough passages and/or themes in scripture. The only option is to avoid them, and that’s never good. They’re in there for a reason. Join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith on this sixth Sunday in the Easter season as they wrestle with the difficult and often misunderstood themes of suffering, persecution, and hope found in 1 Peter 3:13–22. Get ready to challenge harmful interpretations that glorify suffering and instead explore how the early church found courage a...

What does it really mean to be a “good person,” and is that the same thing as being Christ-like? In this thoughtful and deeply human conversation, Jack Hindle and Shannon McAdam wrestle with questions of faith, community, belonging, evangelism, and the courage to change our minds. From joy and justice to loneliness, rigid beliefs, and the longing for authentic connection, this episode explores how spirituality can create space for people to show up as their truest selves. Honest, reflective, and...