Faith Unfiltered Podcast

What does it mean to be a people of peace, and how do we create sacred community beyond the walls of a church building? In this episode of What's Brewing, Blake Smith visits with Chelsea Reimers about the Nomads for Peace and Love, an emerging ministry that brought together a diverse group of Christ followers for a cross-country bicycle pilgrimage from Georgia to Independence, Missouri. Along the way, the group prayed for individuals and world leaders, connected with strangers, built community, and discovered that being a people of peace requires more than a common destination—it requires grace, forgiveness, humility, and a willingness to put others before ourselves. Chelsea shares how the journey transformed her understanding of peace and reminds us that peace begins within us, and building sacred community is hard work—but work that is always worth doing. Check out Nomads for Peace and Love on Facebook. For more information or to ask questions, email Chelsea Reimers at: [email protected] Listen to other episodes in the What’s Brewing series. Download the transcript. Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. [email protected] “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.   NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ. 

Got oil for your lamp? Get ready... Jesus is coming. In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin and Blake explore Jesus’ parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids in Matthew 25:1–13, discovering that spiritual preparedness is about much more than waiting for the future. Through the lens of Community of Christ’s understanding of kingdom living, they consider how we can live God's reign in the here and now through humble service, generosity, justice, and peacebuilding. A personal story and some thoughtful questions invite us to consider how we might better prepare ourselves to welcome others, respond to needs, and participate in God’s mission right where we are. Listen to other episodes in the Coffee to Go series. Download the transcript. Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. [email protected] “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.   NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ. 

What have you received, and what do you have to offer? In this third of six guided meditations created for the Generosity Cycle, Community of Christ member and hypnotherapist Christian Skoorsmith uses mindfulness meditation to invite us to notice the gifts in our lives and explore how what we've received can become a gift to others. Find out more about the Generosity Cycle. Listen to other episodes in the Awaken to God’s Presence series. Download the Transcript.  Christian Skoorsmith is a clinical hypnotherapist, writer, and researcher in Seattle, WA. You can find out more about him at www.Skoorsmith.com. Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. [email protected] “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.   NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ. 

We’ve all seen Saints depicted in stained-glass windows in grand cathedrals, but what if we looked at the people whose lives have touched our own as saints? In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore All Saints’ Day through Psalm 34, reflecting on grief, mortality, remembrance, and the great cloud of witnesses that connects us across generations. Through the invitation to “taste and see” God's goodness, they consider how all five senses can help us recognize and experience the divine in our everyday lives. Join them for a meaningful spiritual practice that invites you to remember those who have shaped your journey of faith and share your own experiences of encountering the holy. Explore new ways to encounter the Holy.  I see God when…  I hear the divine when…  I smell the divine presence when…  I taste the holy when…  I touch God when....  Listen to more episodes in the Coffee to Go series. Download the transcript. Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. [email protected] “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.   NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ. 

Take a moment to slow down and consider what it means to be enough and have enough. In this second of six guided meditations created for the Generosity Cycle, Community of Christ member and hypnotherapist Christian Skoorsmith uses mindfulness meditation to invite us to move from worry toward trust, finding contentment in what we have and who we are. Find out more about the Generosity Cycle. Listen to other episodes in the Awaken to God’s Presence series. Download the Transcript.  Christian Skoorsmith is a clinical hypnotherapist, writer, and researcher in Seattle, WA. You can find out more about him at www.Skoorsmith.com. Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. [email protected] “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.   NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ. 

What happens when even the apostle Paul’s best efforts don’t go according to plan? This week on Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore 1 Thessalonians 2:1–8, reflecting on the challenges faced by the early Christian community and Paul’s reminder that faithfulness is often forged through struggle. Together, they consider how easily we can lose perspective on our own hardships, overlook the suffering of others, and forget the importance of acknowledging those who have helped us along the way. Through Paul’s tender image of nurturing care, we’re invited to consider how we can embody God’s compassion and remind others that they are deeply loved and cared for. Listen to more episodes in the Coffee to Go series. Download the transcript. Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. [email protected] “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.   NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ. 

Take a moment to slow down and notice the connections that sustain you. In this first of six guided meditations created for the Generosity Cycle, Community of Christ member and hypnotherapist Christian Skoorsmith* uses mindfulness to invite us to recognize how we are held by others and how we, in turn, help hold one another. Find out more about the Generosity Cycle. Listen to more episodes in the Awaken to God’s Presence series. Download the transcript. Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. [email protected] “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.   NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ. 

Where Does Your Ultimate Allegiance Belong? What happens when faith and politics collide? In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore Matthew 22:15–22, where Jesus faces a tricky question about paying taxes to Caesar and challenges his listeners to think more deeply about the relationship between religion, government, and power. Together, they invite us to examine where we place our faith and allegiance—and whether our political perspectives sometimes overshadow our commitment to God. Through thoughtful reflection and a practical spiritual exercise, discover how the simple reminder “Today I belong to God” can help align our words, choices, and actions with God’s purposes of love, compassion, and justice. Listen to other episodes in the Coffee to Go series. Download the transcript.  Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. [email protected] “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.   NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ. 

We’re bringing this episode of Climate Brewing back just in time for the 2026 Community of Christ Peace Forum as a reminder that it’s never too late. In this inspiring episode, host Susan Oxley sits down with Justice Manning, an 89-year-old retired environmental engineer from Daphne, Alabama. Once a committed climate change denier, Justice shares his remarkable journey—shaped by a career in environmental work, shifts in scientific data, lived experience with extreme weather, and the influence of Community of Christ’s Enduring Principle Sacredness of Creation. Listen to other episodes in the Climate Brewing series. Download the Transcript. Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. [email protected] “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.   NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ. 

What are the golden calves in our lives—and what happens when we start worshiping what we treasure most? This week on Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore Exodus 32:1–14, where the Israelites grow impatient, turn to a golden calf, and discover the consequences of losing trust in the God they cannot see. Connecting this ancient story to modern nationalism, Christian exceptionalism, and the ways fear and power can marginalize others, Karin and Blake invite us to examine our own allegiances and ask where we stand when people are oppressed. Join the conversation as we reflect on what it means to recognize the holy beyond what we can see, challenge the idols competing for our attention, and live out Christ’s call to love one another. Listen to more episodes in the Coffee to Go series. Download the transcript.Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. [email protected] “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.   NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ.