Episodes

How many 30-year-olds still do what their mother tells them to do? Well, maybe it depends on whether or not the mom is the “Holy Mother.” This week at Coffee to Go, hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith take a dive into the Wedding at Cana, the story from the Gospel According to John that records Jesus’ first sign or miracle. And, it wasn’t “the devil that made him do it.” It was an act of justice strongly recommended by his mom. Listen in and find out why! Download Transcript Thanks for listening...

From camp brat to boy band to a call to serve in the Counsel of Twelve Apostles, Joey Williams has been on a long and exciting journey with each step leading him to new adventures and opportunities. Join host, Robin Linkhart, as she sits down for part one of an interview with Joey where he tells his growing up story. See what happens when you say yes in the face of uncertainty... step out in faith with an airplane ticket and a desire to learn ... or, simply do your best to live out God’s will fo...

For this episode of Common Grounds on Epiphany, we reached back into the archives and pulled out a conversation between host, Karin Peter, and guest. Mike Hoffman. The episode first ran on Epiphany in 2020. Grab a cup of coffee, and sit down with Karin and Mike for a look into Epiphany: what it’s all about, where we get the story from, and how we can experience it in our lives each year during this season set aside for doing just that. Download Transcript Thanks for listening to Faith Unfilter...

Anticipation! If after reading that word, an old ketchup jingle started playing in your head, you’re probably not one of the younger listeners to Project Zion Podcast. If a jingle didn’t start playing in your head, you’ll just have to Google it. This episode of Coffee to Go is about anticipation, but there is no ketchup involved. Listen in as hosts, Karin Peter and Blake Smith, take a close look at the passage from Luke 3 about the Baptism of Jesus. Allow yourself, like the heavens, to be opened...

In January of 2023, our Percolating on Faith crew took a look at Epiphany, and we thought it was worth bringing back! This is an important day in the Christian community and marks the end of the Christmas season. Hear more about the history and its significance in today’s world from our spunkiest guests, Tony and Charmaine Chvala-Smith, and arguably our spunkiest (former) host, Carla Long. Download Transcript Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Intro...

In this season of Epiphany, a time when we remember the revealing of God’s presence to all people in the person of Jesus Christ, we are encouraged to pause from the busyness of life and pay attention to how God is revealing God’s self to us each day. Robin Linkhart, host of this episode of Awaken to God’s Presence, asks the question, “What if we approached Epiphany like we would a blessing for a house, a home, a place we would invite God’s presence to dwell, to nurture our love for one another, ...

Today marks the celebration of the day in which the light of the world was revealed to all people ... when God’s presence was made manifest among us. One might expect such a special occasion to be attended by religious leaders ... at least the ones close by. But that’s not the way the story goes. Those who responded were likely astronomers from a foreign land. The unexpected revealed to the unexpected. Join hosts, Karin Peter and Blake Smith, for a look at Matthew’s story of the “Wisemen’s” visi...

“This little light of mine... I’m gonna let it shine...” That is part, after all, of what it means to follow Jesus. In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin and Blake discuss the significance of the second Sunday after Christmas. They delve into the Gospel of John, emphasizing Jesus' divine nature and the role of John the Baptist in pointing to Him. Hopefully, you’ll get a sense of the importance of understanding "believing in His name" as a deep commitment to walk the same walk as Jesus. Downloa...

A new year has begun, and the pressure is on, whether you fall prey to it or not, to make some new year resolutions. Many will do it. Some will succeed. Some know better than to even try. In this short episode of Coffee Connect, host, Blake Smith, reminds us to focus on the small steps. Setting goals can be a good thing because it keeps us growing and moving forward. What’s important is that the goals (aka resolutions) be attainable. Better to set your sights on something small and succeed than ...

When we think of hospitality, we often think about how we treat those we consider guests ... when others enter our spaces. But, what does hospitality mean for us (and require of us) when we enter the spaces of others? In this Extra Shot episode in the hospitality series presented by the Council of Presidents of Seventy, Larry McGuire, shares what he has gleaned from his years of worldwide ministry and the importance of mutuality in hospitality that he has experienced by entering the homes of oth...

Rag ‘n Bone Man, Rory Graham, put the words to song ... “I’m only human after all.” Too often, we put our heroes on pedestals, lauding only their good traits and overlooking their more “human” traits. This week’s passage from the Gospel of Luke gives us a glimpse into the human side of our greatest “hero,” Jesus. Join hosts, Karin Peter and Blake Smith for a look at the other side of the story. It doesn’t diminish the importance of Jesus and his ministry. Rather, it makes him a little more acces...

In a world full of refugees (political, climate, and otherwise), we ought to remember that those who began this movement ... this church ... were refugees more than once. The importance of having a place to belong that is safe and welcoming ... where everyone, including women and children, can thrive while maintaining connections to their cultural beginnings cannot be forgotten. Get ready to be blown away by the full-circle story which Joey Williams tells in this Extra Shot episode on Hospitalit...

A peaceful night with a star up above. A beautiful newborn wrapped in swaddling clothes. Kings...shepherds...clean, quiet animals watching quietly as they lay perfectly still. It makes for a nice story, but it also covers up the real-life grit and struggle that the Holy Family encountered in and around the birth of Jesus, not to mention the radical nature of a God at work in the midst of an unsuitable place with those who would have been considered unsuitable themselves. Join Karin and Blake for...

Sometimes we might think that our life journey is “all over the map.” From the outside looking in, one might say that about Mary Anne and Kassie’s guest in this episode of Say What, Matt Frizzell. From the lakes of Michigan as a child to ministry as a young adult, then on to the halls of academia, and back to ministry Matt has been on a constant (and intentional) journey to find his place of belonging and to follow his sense of call. Join Mary Anne, Kassie and Matt for a stimulating conversation...

Two expectant women, one old and one young, both wondering why God would choose them, yet both filled with joy ... that’s where we find ourselves on this last Sunday of Advent. Karin and Blake are always asking, “Where are we with Jesus this week?” Well, technically, he’s there too! Listen in to experience the joy that Mary and Elizabeth share as they come together in support of one another away from all the chaos and watching eyes. How could two women in such unexpected circumstances possibly f...

“Boundaries are what makes relationships possible,” argues Tony Chvala-Smith in the second part of this Extra Shot episode where he and Charmaine sit down with host, Blake Smith, to talk about the importance of boundaries for establishing our identity ... as a church community as well as personally. You may think the Community of Christ has lost its distinctives, but in reality, we have actually been reconnecting with some of our core distinctives ... the most important of which is to “uniquely,...

Establishing one’s true identity and living in that identity may require the creation of boundaries. How can one know who they are without, in some circumstances, knowing who they are not? The Reorganization has faced some identity challenges over the years as a result of its shared history with the Mormon church and the tendency of its membership to draw on sources that don’t necessarily align with the church’s stated beliefs. In part one of this two-part Extra Shot episode, Tony and Charmaine ...

Unlike Micah, who responded politely when asked what God required of those who would follow, John the Baptist didn’t mince words or waste time worrying about people’s feelings. He simply laid it on the line ... for everyone. Repent and change your ways. Quit putting yourself first. Take what’s yours, only what’s yours, and be happy. As we come close to Christmas and the arrival of the Christchild, join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith for a closer look at John’s instructions for being ready to ...

Not everyone who wants a meaningful relationship with God wants a relationship with church. As a matter of fact, a growing number of people who identify as “spiritual but not religious” have no desire for such a relationship... at least not as it is currently understood by most “churchy” people. Listen in to this Extra Shot episode as Karin Peter talks about the people and things with which this group does connect. Find out where their interests lie, and why the church may be missing the mark. D...

Zombie Apocalypse? Nope, there’s nothing you can do about a Zombie Apocalypse ... but there are things we can do about the climate crisis. In this episode of Say What?, hosts Mary Anne and Kassie, sit down with one of the members of the World Church Human Rights team that crafted G-11: Climate Emergency Call to Action. Listen in to get a better understanding of why it’s such an important issue, and what the Human Rights Team hopes to accomplish through this legislation. See how the lives of mill...

Lions and tigers and bears, Oh My! Wait. Scratch that. How about, “sacredness, energy, and divine presence?” Maybe the wilderness isn’t so bad after all! Grab a cup of your favorite warm beverage and join host Karin Peter and Blake Smith for a look into how “the voice crying out in the wilderness,” wasn’t running from large scary animals, but rather towards the hope that was to come. In the words of Rod Stewart, “People get ready.” That is what Advent is all about anyway, isn’t it? Download Tra...

What do history, balloon animals, and crocheting have in common? They are areas of interest for the guest of this episode of Coffee in the Swarm. That’s right, it’s time to head back to “the Swarm” for a cup of coffee and a sit down with Nicole Sherer of Woodbine, IA. Get a sense of the energy that Nicole has for Graceland and the church. Walk away with a renewed hope for what is yet to come. Download Transcript Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! In...

In this episode of Awaken to God’s Presence, evangelist Cathy Batey is back with another guided meditation to ignite our imaginations, prompt our listening for the Divine, and prepare us for Advent and Christmas. Prepare to encounter Jesus as you wander through a snow-covered winter wonderland. Don’t worry, your imagination controls the temperature. Come expectantly, ready to receive the gift that God has for you in this moment...a gift that may be meant for you to give to someone else. Take tim...

It’s a new liturgical year, and we’re still journeying with Jesus. As we enter the Advent season, we are reminded of God’s gracious welcome and hospitality ... full of justice and mercy. From interpersonal division to wars between nations, our world is full of chaos, there are those who would like us to think that the end of the world is coming and that THIS is “the generation that will not pass.” But we know that God is with us, and because we have experienced God’s gracious hospitality in our ...