Branches of Faith

Branches of Faith

This is an exploration into different houses of religion and an attempt to find any underlying consistencies and commonalities. We visit a different House of Worship each week and report back in the podcast. Members and leaders will also be interviewed. These locations are primarily in the Midwest of USA. Our running notes and links from research: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13JSX0jmaPcKR5FagGYXtWafArfKZ9aV_d4s7GfS09jw/edit?usp=drivesdk

Episodes

May 31, 2025 29 mins

Send us a text

What would it be like to walk into a church you've never heard much about, where healing happens with prayer and illness and suffering are seen as illusion? In this episode of Branches of Faith, Kate and Ben visit the Christian Science Society in Peoria and share their honest reflections and discoveries. With warmth and curiosity, they explore the unique beliefs rooted in the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy, the pow...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

What happens when Native American traditions and Christian faith come together in worship? How does a sacred drum become the heartbeat of a congregation? And what can we learn from a church built with deep reverence for the land it stands on?

In this episode of Branches of Faith, we take you inside Dayspring Native American United Methodist Church in East Peoria, Illinois—a hidden gem of faith, culture, and community. ...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Episode Description:
In this heartfelt episode of Branches of Faith, we take you to Renewed Life Church in Peoria, Illinois, a small yet passionate congregation led by the energetic and inspiring Pastor Quentin Johnson—known as “Coach Q” to many.

What happens when love, faith, and service meet in one of the most underserved areas of town? Join us as we reflect on themes of reciprocity and renewal, inspired by Pasto...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

In this enlightening episode of Branches of Faith, we step into the vibrant and welcoming community of the Hindu Temple of Central Illinois. Join us as we explore the intricacies of Hindu spirituality, from the colorful deities on the altar to the profound connection between faith, cosmology, and nature.

We'll share our reflections on the temple's beautiful rituals, the Navagrahas (celestial forces tied to ka...

Mark as Played
October 29, 2024 36 mins

Send us a text

 The First Church of the Brethren in Peoria is part of the Church of the Brethren denomination, which emphasizes peace, simplicity, and community. The Church of the Brethren has roots in the Anabaptist movement, originating in Germany in the early 18th century. The congregation in Peoria shares these core values, focusing on service, social justice, and living out the teachings of Jesus in daily life. The church is in...

Mark as Played
September 12, 2024 40 mins

Send us a text

We learned about the Sabbath, Jesus bringing a man to water to heal him, Ben was wearing a strange face, and Kate wants to invite you over for dinner.  In the first week of the NFL season, Kate and Ben went to Imago Dei Church in Peoria and took notes on a plethora of "boots on the ground" kinds of activities that they're doing for their community.  The message from Pastor Melinda was that we need to do...

Mark as Played
August 23, 2024 38 mins

Send us a text

We sure learned a lot about Baha'i for this visit.  Listen and witness Ben's emotional sentiments, Kate's introduction to the Baha'i when she was 10, and her "factoid" about a house she lived in and how it connects to the Baha'i of Peoria.  Thanks to the wonderful people we met, and for a celebrity guest appearance (we pulled some Hollywood strings for this one) and come learn about ...

Mark as Played
August 6, 2024 25 mins

Send us a text

Learn about Kate's Catholic background and the St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria.  With special guest, our daughter, Genevieve, we retell our visit to a beautiful building and a message about "being hungry" for peace, community, and joy in a modern world full of all shapes and sizes of comforts and connections. 

Donate to St. Mary's Cathedral
St. Mary's Cathedral Homepage
S...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Learn about Pastor Greg Washington, his love for music and how the Jackson 5 influenced everyone in his neighborhood to get into music.  Discover how he got into ministry, leading a church, and how his roll as a UPS driver has helped him establish relationships in the community that he serves.  He has a great "StepUp" program finding housing and work for men recently released from incarceration.  People are ...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Katie had a beautiful visit to Ephraim Moravian Church in Door County, Wisconsin and is excited to share what she experienced with you all.

Moravian Church You tube Channel

Ephraim Moravian Church Website

Support Branches of Faith

Follow Kate:
-Medium Blog
-Facebook
-IG
-Website

Follow Ben:
-Facebook
-IG
-Tiktok

Support the show

References and Link...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

We had a powerful visit to United Fellowship Ministries in Peoria, Illinois and are excited to share what we experienced with you all.

Donate to UFM click the link and send them $3, an immediate "feel good"

United Fellowship Ministries

News 25 clip of building collapse

Step Up Program

Support the show

References and Links
Support Branches of Faith Donations

Mark as Played

Send us a text

We visited the First United Methodist Church in Peoria, Illinois. Ben and Kate share their observations and reflections.

Church website:
https://fumcpeoria.org/

Support the show

Follow Kate:
-Medium Blog
-Facebook
-IG
-Website

Follow Ben:
-Facebook
-IG
-Tiktok

Support the show

References and Links
Support Branches of Faith Donations

Follow Kate:
-Medium Bl...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

We get to discuss our time at the North Parkway Assembly of God Church in Pekin with Pastor Chris and Pastor Missy. 

Church website:
https://northparkway.org/

Support the show

Follow Kate:
-Medium Blog
-Facebook
-IG
-Website

Follow Ben:
-Facebook
-IG
-Tiktok

Support the show

References and Links
Support Branches of Faith Donations

Follow Kate:
-Medium Blog...

Mark as Played
January 23, 2024 41 mins

Send us a text

We visited the All Saints Greek Orthodox Church. Ben and Kate share their observations and reflections

Church Website:
All Saints Greek Orthodox Church

Support the show

Follow Kate:
-Medium Blog
-Facebook
-IG
-Website

Follow Ben:
-Facebook
-IG
-Tiktok

Support the show

References and Links
Support Branches of Faith Donations

Follow Kate:
-Medium Blog
-F...

Mark as Played
January 14, 2024 34 mins

Send us a text

We visited the First Federated Church. Ben and Kate share their observations and reflections

Church Website:
First Federated Church of Peoria

Support the show

References and Links
Support Branches of Faith Donations

Follow Kate:
-Medium Blog
-Facebook
-IG
-Website

Follow Ben:
-Facebook
-IG
-Tiktok

Mark as Played
January 13, 2024 31 mins

Send us a text

We visited the Unitarian Universalist Church. Ben and Katie share their observations and reflections.

Church webstie:
https://peoriauuchurch.org/

Support the show

References and Links
Support Branches of Faith Donations

Follow Kate:
-Medium Blog
-Facebook
-IG
-Website

Follow Ben:
-Facebook
-IG
-Tiktok

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

    24/7 News: The Latest

    The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

    Latino USA

    Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S. centering Latino stories, hosted by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Maria Hinojosa Every week, the Peabody winning team brings you revealing, in-depth stories about what’s in the hearts and minds of Latinos and their impact on the world. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.