PEORIA MAGAZINE October 2023

A PUBLICATION OF WT VP

MAGAZ INE

OCTOBER 2023

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OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 1

COVER STORIES 36 The Rise of the ‘Virtual Church’ By Michael Miller 38 Changes Afoot in Peoria Catholic Diocese By Michael Miller 42 A Religion, a Culture,

SPOTLIGHT 62 Central Illinois’ ‘Megachurches’ By Scott Fishel 66 ‘You Must Not Kneel Here’ By Linda Smith Brown 68 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Retools for the 21st Century By Linda Smith Brown 82 At a Crossroads By Thomas Bruch 84 The Bible as A Business Model By Steve Stein 8 6 A Come-to-Jesus Moment, and A Business is Born By Phil Luciano 92 The Pagan Path By Laurie Pillman

5 0 Everyone is Equal Before God By Laurie Pillman 54 An Alternative to Health Insurance By Phil Luciano 58 20 Something: Commentary

A ‘Way of Life’ By Steve Stein 46 ‘The Will of Allah’ By Thomas Bruch

MIA in the Pews By Katie Faley

COVER PHOTO : Cover Photo: “Prayers,” by Missy Sheple

ABOVE PHOTO : Chapel at Three Sisters Park outside of Chillicothe Photo by Ron Johnson

2 OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

FEATURES 8 Seed and Soil: Roots

24 Mom and Pop: A Family Affair By Lisa Coon 28 Mom and Pop:

88 EconCorner:

An interview with Yafei Guo, University of Illinois By Mike Bailey

By Emily Sharkey

10 Seed and Soil:

94 Wordcount:

That Old-Time Rural Religion By Steve Tarter

Need a Parochial School Uniform? By Bob Grimson

Stories To Shock and Disturb By Laurie Pillman 96 Curtain Call: Commentary

14 Dish and Drink: ‘

32 Hometown:

‘A Church for Good Times and Good Food’ By Lisa Coon Dish and Drink: What’s Cookin’ — Apple Cider Chicken with Apples and Butternut Squash By Mary DiSomma

Direct Descendants By Scott Fishel 70 Playing in Peoria:

Mary Beth Nebel: One for The Books By Steve Tarter

19

‘Doing Sports God’s Way’ By Kirk Wessler

100 Peoria Retro:

Eureka College, Founded by Religious Abolitionists By Steve Tarter

74 Playing in Peoria: Religion Radio By Denise Jackson 76 Playing in Peoria: ‘More of the Different’

21

Cocktail Class: An Old-Fashioned Old Fashioned By Phil Culbertson

104 Launching Pad:

Introducing Peoria Kiwanis Club By Karen Holmes

By Linda Smith Brown

OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 3

COMMENTARY 102 In a World Spinning Too Fast, Faith Still Has a Place John F. Gilligan 110 One More Thing: A Musical Wunderkind

Lands in Peoria By Phil Luciano

AND MORE

7 Letter from the Editor 78 ArtsPartners Calendar 106 Out & About 108 In Brief 112 Thank You, Advertisers

in this issue

October 2023 contributors: Linda Smith Brown, Thomas Bruch, Lisa Coon, Phil Culbertson, Mary DiSomma, Katie Faley, Scott Fishel, John F. Gilligan, Bob Grimson, Yafei Guo, Karen Holmes, Denise Jackson, Phil Luciano, Michael Miller, Laurie Pillman, Emily Sharkey, Missy Shepler, Scott Shepler, Steve Stein, Steve Tarter, Kirk Wessler

FOLLOW @PEORIAMAGAZINES: To subscribe or renew, visit peoriamagazines.com/ subscribe.

4 OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

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E D I T O R I A L EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mike Bailey mbailey@peoriamagazines.com PUBLISHER Lesley Matuszak lesley.matuszak@wtvp.org

C R E A T I V E SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE Phil Luciano phil.luciano@wtvp.org EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CONTENT AND MARKETING Julie Sanders

julie.sanders@wtvp.org STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ron Johnson GRAPHIC DESIGN Debbie Cody

ADVERTISING PRESIDENT AND CEO OF WTVP Lesley Matuszak lesley.matuszak@wtvp.org SENIOR CORPORATE SUPPORT MANAGER Angie Spears sales@peoriamagazines.com CORPORATE SUPPORT MANAGER Kristina Gamez sales@peoriamagazines.com DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY Tom Zimmerman sales@peoriamagazines.com

6 OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

WELCOME TO AMEN CORNER

S o another October rolls around along with another tossup edition, which I don’t mean in a negative or flip-a-coin sense. It’s just that where most of the magazine’s months are spoken for, October invites us to go exploring, even at the risk of not knowing what awaits around the next turn. This year, we fearlessly wade into the sometimes perilous, walk-on-eggshells waters of religion, a subject in which our species can be quite emotional ly invested, and on which there is no shortage of passionate opinion. The anxiety of diving into all that might buckle a lesser publication, but we here at Peoria Magazine like nothing more than to take on a challenge. It's actually an opportune time, as there has been research and commen tary to spare on the state of the church in America. A recent column by Pulitzer Prize-winner Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times ran under the head line, “America is Losing Religious Faith.” New books have hit the shelves with titles such as The Great Dechurching and Losing Our Religion . Gallup has reported that for the first time since it began tracking the issue during the Great Depression, fewer than half of Americans — 47% — say they belong to a church, synagogue or mosque,

dramatically down from 70% at the turn of this 21st century. As I’m a big believer in trusting one’s own eyes and ears, it’s pretty obvious that a lot of pews are emptier and grayer. Interestingly, it’s not that Americans consider themselves less spiritual. What many seem to be rejecting is organized, mainline denominations as they pursue other, more individualized paths to meaning in their lives. That appears to be especially true of younger people. Our reporter Katie Faley, who has a master’s degree in theology from the University of Notre Dame, does a great job of providing some perspective on that in her 20 Something commentary. The reasons cited for the decline in religious participation are many and varied, from the pandemic to political differences to scandal. We don’t dwell on those matters in this issue but we don’t dodge them, either. In fairness, there has been an erosion of trust in many an American institution — government and big business, certainly, but also the media of which I’m a part. Perhaps we all need to take stock and repent of our sins, as we ask others to. In any case, to paraphrase the GOAT, Mark Twain, “The reports of religion’s death are greatly exaggerated.” It is premature to write off the pulpit’s influence in American life. Indeed, a

quick trip through the online Yellow Pages lists 440 “churches and places of worship” in the Peoria area. That’s a whopping number for an institution supposedly in freefall, and while we couldn’t get to all of them — we have our earthly limitations, I confess — we have tried to offer a representative sample, presented without favor or judgment. We live in a great if imperfect nation, one in which we are free to worship as we please or not at all, without official penalty. I attribute that to the particular genius of the Founders, who made the preservation of religious freedom a top priority in our Bill of Rights. Given the sectarian strife sometimes seen elsewhere in the world, arguably most of us have been witness to their wisdom, and accept it. Ultimately, religion at its best can be a source of comfort and inspiration and a force for good in the world. As a guide for how to live, for my money you still can’t beat the Golden Rule. Enjoy.

Mike Bailey

mbailey@peoriamagazines.com

OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 7

8 OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

SEED AND SOIL

ROOTS Farming is a profession that requires a lot of faith

BY EMILY SHARKEY

A s my husband Rob and I trav el the country speaking and taping TV segments and do ing interviews, we have had the opportunity to talk with so many farmers, ranchers and good folks in agriculture. Not surprisingly, our con versations often begin with “what do the crops look like out your way? Did ya catch those rains last night?” And inevitably, they end with some frustration and the “well, there is nothing I can do about Mother Nature anyway, so …” I remember watching things get in creasingly drier day by day in June this year, so much so that I thought we wouldn’t have a crop. We prayed for rain and felt the sting of disappointment when the only pop-up shower all month came so close to the farm we could smell it, but then sadly not one drop fell. I re member walking into the house feel ing disappointed and more than a little discouraged. It’s amazing how missing a rain that your neighbor got to enjoy makes you feel singled out and forgotten. That’s why farming can be so different from other professions. We can work harder than anyone in the county to make strategic, penny-pinching deci sions in all areas of the farm, but still lose a crop to things we can’t control. I remember thinking well, this might be that dreaded year we don’t harvest much of anything. And then, July came and so did the “million dollar” saving rains. We watched our corn shoot up inches every day and the beans start to fill out like the chubby cheeks on a toddler. It brought us such joy and we were thankful.

As farmers, we always think we know just what to pray for when it comes to the weather. We study what all the ideal conditions are and we get so caught up in it. I used to tease Rob and tell him to just text me hour by hour on what to pray for regarding the weather because I would never get it right. What we didn’t see, and most defi nitely didn’t appreciate in June in Illinois, was that while the soil was cracking on the surface and the dirt devils were swirling down our rows, through that dry period our corn was shooting down deep roots searching for any bit of hidden moisture. While the corn was rolling to protect itself from the relentless sun and heat, it was setting the very roots that would see it through the toughest part of summer. What we couldn’t see ahead was, just as the cicadas started singing, the rain shut off again in August, and our crop would have to rely on its deep roots to see it through to harvest. If the crop hadn’t struggled, it wouldn’t have been equipped to utilize the saving July rains. It would have had to rely on shallow roots and probably would have toppled over in the first wind storm that came along, because that’s what always happens. Sometimes I feel like that corn plant rolling in the heat trying to protect my self from the relentless onslaught of the sun. Most recently, I was able to relate to the field leveled by an unexpected derecho. Maybe I needed reminding that God is always there in tough times, that he can see a bigger picture, forcing me to dig down deep and rely on his strength to see me through the “droughts” in life.

Farmers pride themselves on their abilities to manage their farms effec tively. We take calculated risks, we invest in new technology, we try new techniques, or we buy more efficient equipment, all in the hopes of improving our yields and profitability. We pour over seed genetics, read countless ar ticles from agronomists we trust, and challenge the latest and greatest infor mation on nutrients. Yet again, it’s all the things we can’t control that often make or break a crop. Farmers very much believe that “I’m going to do everything I can to do my part,” even if the weather has other plans. That’s what keeps us working so hard. But more importantly, we need to be reminded that even in the most painful times, when we are often so angry that things aren’t going to plan, or when a storm literally takes us out for a while, God can give us strength. Little by little, he will rebuild the “structure” that was damaged in the storm and remind us he has been working on it all along. I pray God gives you strength. Keep swimming forward through the worst of times and keep showing up even when you don’t feel like it, as God loves us. And remember 2 Corinthians 5:7: We live by faith, not by sight.

Emily Sharkey is one half of the dynamic duo that make up “The Shark Farmer” broadcasting company. She and husband Rob Sharkey till the land at the family’s fifth-genera tion farm in the Bradford

area. Their “A Shot of Ag” program appears regularly on WTVP PBS

OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 9

SEED AND SOIL

THAT OLD-TIME RURAL RELIGION For 182 years, Blue Ridge Church near Chillicothe has proven ‘a spiritual anchor’ in central Illinois farm country

BY STEVE TARTER PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

T he small country church may be the last of the rural out posts resisting the fate that’s befallen such reminders of the past as the one-room schoolhouse, the blacksmith shop and the old-time soda fountain. Blue Ridge Church, a chapel 22 miles north of Peoria at the border between Chillicothe and Edelstein, has a long his tory but a short supply of congregants. ‘I THINK THE SMALL COUNTRY CHURCH STILL HAS A PLACE IN THIS WORLD’ — Ellen Donsbach Contrary to rumors, the Blue Ridge Church has not closed, and it contin ues to invite any who seek “a spiritual anchor,” noted Mary Meyer and her daughter, Carolyn Blair, in a recent notice for a Chillicothe newspaper. WANTED: A PASTOR Meyer, 90, recalled her first memories of the church, which was founded in 1841. “My mother and dad always sat in the back pew with me. I don’t know if the reason we sat there was because of

said Blair. “We’re looking for a minister. Right now, pastors in the area like Don Kennedy, a retired pastor at the Cedar Hills Baptist Church in Dunlap, help us out,” she said. “There’s been a shortage of pastors,” added Meyer. SUNRISE, SUNSET A lot has changed in the area since the church was first founded, according to a history written by Meyer’s grandfather, Henry H. Nurse, in 1917. “There were no houses between Northampton and Blue Ridge, nor be tween Blue Ridge and Boyd’s Grove, except on the stage road between Peoria and Galena,” wrote Nurse in the pocket-sized history preserved at the church. That history also details the construction of the present church, erected in 1898 to replace the origi nal sanctuary, which had fallen “into a dilapidated and dangerous condition.” Since Roswell Nurse came from New York to settle in the region in 1836, 10 generations of Nurses have grown up in the Blue Ridge area and in this very church, said Meyer. In Blue Ridge Cemetery, located across the street from the church, “a

me,” she said, laughing. “We had Sunday school held in the back of the church,” she added, pointing to an area that now holds extra pews. But handling overflow crowds isn’t a problem at Blue Ridge these days. “It’s hard drawing people to a small country church,” said Bobbi Wages, Meyer’s granddaughter and overseer of the church’s Facebook page. “We’re trying to get our name out there. A lot of people think the church has closed.” Previously known as Blue Ridge Unit ed Methodist Church, the church is now non-denominational. Some 20 people were in attendance at an August service at this house of wor ship, which now has another challenge,

10 OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

Members gather at Blue Ridge Church, 22426 N. Blue Ridge Road, Edelstein

third of the graves there are Nurses,” said Brian Nurse, 73, who drives with wife Sue from their home in the Quad Cities to attend services. “We come down every Sunday,” he said, adding that he prefers the cozy confines of the Blue Ridge chapel to the church near his home. Nurse point ed to the stained-glass window at the church depicting the “Blue Ridge pio neers,” which was made in California and presented to the church in 1961 by his grandfather’s brother, “Dr.” Frank Nurse. The doctor title was bestowed on Frank Nurse as an erudite man who spoke five or six languages, said Nurse. The cemetery carries special meaning for Meyer, who recalls walking through the graveyard after every church ser vice as a child. “It was just something we did,” she said. The cemetery also has been the site for an annual Memorial Day service “since Civil War days,” said Meyer. “Peo ple will gather around the flagpole there and sing ‘God Bless America.’” Other Blue Ridge traditions have fallen by the wayside as the congre gation has declined. The Blue Ridge Men’s Group, which disbanded a decade ago, used to hold an annual pancake-and-sausage breakfast that

always proved popular, said Meyer. The church still holds an annual sausage sale in the spring, she said. RURAL RESILIENCE The Blue Ridge faithful haven’t given up. An open house will be held at the church at 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 1 with refreshments. “We want to bring in other families, people who want the church-family feeling,” said Blair. The congregation also will hold its third annual vendor event at the Pearce Community Center, 610 W. Cedar St. in Chillicothe, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18 (the day when Chill icothe holds its Santa Claus Parade) to raise money for the church. “That’s the time when we have a Blue Ridge bake sale. We do good there,” said parishioner Sally Snyder. Ellen Donsbach, who got married at the church 33 years ago, is already busy planning a Thanksgiving dinner program, while Peggy Hicks works on special programs to supplement the Sunday service once each month. The program for the last Sunday in August featured a talk by Kristin Schmidt, who’s been teaching orchestra students in South Peoria for the past 12 years.

Carolyn Blair said it’s important to maintain Blue Ridge Church despite its dwindling congregation. “There are reasons involving histo ry and family, plus I think the small country church still has a place in this world,” she said. “Some of the younger people prefer a megachurch where you don’t have to hold a hymnal and read off a screen, but we still do it in the traditional manner. I know they have bands at some of the other churches and we’ve had performers play here, too, just not all the time. “We just had someone come back who said they’d be coming every week. We want to do outreach programs to find others and welcome them in.” It’s the kind of rural can-do spirit that has defined and sustained this small country church in Blue Ridge for 182 years, and counting.

Steve Tarter is a Peoria Magazine contributor who was born in England, raised in Boston, moved to Peoria to attend Bradley University and decided to stay. He has spent a career in journalism and public relations

OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 11

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DISH AND DRINK

‘A CHURCH FOR GOOD TIMES AND GOOD FOOD’ In Obed & Isaac’s, Springfield’s Conn family converted a Peoria church into a destination brewery and eatery

BY LISA COON PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

K aren and Court Conn were on what they call a “recon mission” in the late summer of 2015 when they came to Peoria from their home in Springfield looking for their next new opportunity. The Conns had already toured Down town Peoria and the Warehouse District with Chris Setti, CEO of the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, and Mark Misselhorn, architect and chairman of the Downtown Advisory

Commission, looking for the perfect spot for their next restaurant project. But it was on their own recon mission when the couple came across the former Second Presbyterian Church at the corner of Madison and Spalding (formerly Jackson) avenues. “It was such a cool building,” said Karen Conn, who recalls her husband commenting at the time, “Too bad it’s not for sale.” Unbeknownst to the Conns, the “for sale” sign had fallen down.

Karen couldn’t get thoughts of the building out of her mind. After returning home, she began a thorough internet search and found that the building was indeed on the market. The couple connected with a real estate agent and returned to Peoria. “After we walked through it, I just fell in love,” said Karen of the structure that would become the family’s second Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery and Eatery.

14 OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

Local architect Mark Misselhorn with Karen and Court Conn, owners of Obed and Isaac’s in Peoria

One of the stunning stained-glass windows at the former church

WORLD-CLASS ARCHITECTURE

from the restaurant, but to also have an outdoor entertainment area. “It needed love,” said Karen. “We knew we needed to do all new infrastructure. “This wasn’t our first rodeo. Court and I like taking projects like this on. If it wasn’t for people like us who are crazy, these places would be torn down.” Misselhorn agreed. “Saving that pre cious history, that isn’t so easy,” he said. “But where else do you find a building like this? That big Wisconsin granite, they don’t build them like that any lon ger. It’s just so neat the Conns came in and saved this building.” A GROWING EMPIRE The Conns own Conn Hospitality Group in Springfield. The business began in 1948 when Roy Conn, Court’s father, opened Roy’s Café in Downtown Spring field. Today, the operation includes two Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery & Eatery locations, a cidery, a boutique hotel, a farm and vineyard, and a general store featuring Illinois products. It was a chance meeting with Missel horn at Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery & Eatery in Springfield that first planted the seed to launch a second location in Peoria.

“Our attraction to Peoria stems from Mark coming down to Springfield and he stopped at Obed & Isaac’s where we met him and started talking,” Karen said. “He later sent us an email indi cating he would love for us to come to Peoria and tour locations. At that time, we had been discussing internally that we were looking for another project. Probably to Mark’s amazement, I replied we would be interested.” The Conns finalized the purchase in October 2015 and immediately went into construction mode. On Sept. 26, 2016, Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery & Eatery opened in Peoria. “Working with the city of Peoria was a breath of fresh air,” she said. “They’re willing to work with businesses and try to find answers or solutions. We’ve done many restoration projects in Spring field, and I’ve met ‘no’ a lot and without any solutions offered. It was a joy up in Peoria.” BEER AND CHILI The Peoria brewhouse is the Conn’s largest, brewing everything from ci der to saison, from IPA to ale. The beer menu sports six flagship beers with seasonal offerings added in the spring/ summer and fall/winter.

The building, best known by Peorians as the former Cornerstone Building, is of the Richardsonian Romanesque Revival style of the late 19th century. The 12,000-square-foot structure was designed by W.W. Boyington, who also did Chicago's Water Tower. It was com pleted in 1889. Outside, the ornate structure of Wis consin granite stands as a beacon to those coming into Peoria on I-74 from the east. Inside, high-pitched ceilings, elaborate woodwork, ornamental plaster, arches and stunning arched stained-glass windows offer customers a unique dining experience. “Aesthetically, we saw all the oppor tunity and potential,” Karen said. The original ceiling, in particular, was a real draw. “It has such a German Bavarian feel,” said Karen. “It really transports you to Europe and what you may experience at a Bavarian beer garden.” In addition, the Conns knew they want ed to locate a brewhouse on the property. A parking lot next to the former church provided the space needed to not only construct the brewhouse to be separate

OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 15

The menus in Peoria and Springfield are nearly identical, with only a few local tweaks. Those adjustments include the chili. In Springfield, it is more of a tav ern-style chili that is a little “greasy” or “oily” than what some prefer. “That didn’t go over as well” in Peo ria, Karen said, so they went to a more traditional recipe for local diners. Also, the ever-popular artichoke dip in Springfield, made with a blend of ar tichoke hearts, garlic, parmesan cheese, mayo and cream cheese, wasn’t a big sell er in Peoria. So, the recipe was adjusted to add spinach for a spinach-artichoke dip. “It’s a difference in cultures,” Karen said. “We all have our traditions and trends.” And the Conns are forging a new one in the River City, for themselves and their customers. Tom Veirs of Peoria, a retired Lime stone Community High School teacher, is a frequent customer. “If you spend any time in Downtown Peoria, you can’t help but notice the building,” he said. “I sponsored an event in the early 1990s before the renovations. It needed a lot of help. The owners of Obed & Issac’s did a wonderful job maintaining the integrity of the structure and its originality. “They’ve continued to improve it with the addition of games and dog-friendly outdoor areas,” he said. “It’s a crown jewel of Peoria. The city should consider itself lucky that such a beautiful building was saved and is now a draw for the area.” Meanwhile, Veirs’ go-to recommen dation for new diners: “Start with an up side brown coffee ale in cooler tempera tures or a strawberry blonde during the summer, along with an order of Scotch eggs. Follow that with a stinger burger and you’ve got a fantastic dinner.” CELEBRATING HISTORY, MAKING HISTORY Although the building was construct ed as a church, it only served that pur pose for 60 years, the last 12 of those as the First Federated Church following a merger with Second Presbyterian.

The Peoria brewhouse is the Conns’ largest

In 1949, the church was purchased by the Electra Chapter of the Eastern Star with a $120,000 endowment from Ellen Donmeyer. The building was to be used as a chapter house for Eastern Star and eventually would house the Donmeyer Family Monument created by Fredrick “Fritz” Triebel. The Donmeyers — Ellen and husband Isaac — were a prominent Peoria family that owned a lucrative milling business, making and selling flour. Ellen commis sioned the monument following her hus band’s death in 1911. She died on Sept. 28, 1916, having never seen it completed. It would be another dozen years — 1928 — before the memorial was finalized and shipped from Italy to Peoria, where it was warehoused for another 24 years before finally being erected in the southwest vestibule of the then-renovated Eastern Star/Don meyer Temple. The Donmeyer family ashes were interred there on May 6, 1952 and remained until 1985, when they were removed and relocated. The memorial remains in the building today. In 1969, the Eastern Star attempted to have the property rezoned for de velopment of a Shell Oil service station. Local protests led to the failure of that request. The Eastern Star owned the building until 1985. During the next 30 years, the building housed an array of ventures, including an event and banquet operation, offices, a group tour business, dance, art and photography studios. And then the Conns stepped in. It was important for the couple to re tain the historic nature of the building. For one, they needed to take advantage

of the River Edge Redevelopment Zone program, so the building had to be put on the National Historic Register. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity program helps revive and redevelop environmentally challenged properties adjacent to rivers in Illinois. Misselhorn applauds the work the Conns have done. “It’s in a neat little area with the Peoria Diocese across the street, the recently renovated and closed Scot tish Rite, the Ronald McDonald House and the whole medical development going on,” he said. “It really stretches the footprint of downtown. We’re really happy they came. The building survived a number of near deaths over the years.” Karen said it was just meant to be. It was important to pay homage to the Donmeyers, who had a passion for the building, she explained. Obed & Isaac’s opened on Sept. 26, 2016, which would have been Ellen Donmeyer’s 172nd birthday, said the Conns. Around the country and the world, there are many religious buildings that have been renovated, resurrected and repurposed into a variety of uses, in cluding brewhouses and such. “It’s certainly not a desecration,” said Misselhorn. “It’s a great use, sort of a church for good times and good food.”

Lisa Coon is a Peoria native who had a long career in the newspaper industry before moving into marketing and communications

16 OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

Come check out the newest exhibit at the Caterpillar Visitors Center , honoring the role Caterpillar and thousands of employees played in supporting war efforts from right here at home. See artifacts, including a service flag, uniform, welder and much more. You will also learn about the 497th camp called “Little Peoria” and its ties to Caterpillar, and learn about the transformation of women in the workplace.

VisitCaterpillar.com for ticket pricing and hours of operation.

© 2023 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, LET’S DO THE WORK, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Corporate Yellow”, the “Power Edge” and Cat “Modern Hex” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 17

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W t’s Cookin’ I love a good, cast-iron skillet dinner, everything cooking in one pan with all those flavors intermingling. My apple cider chicken with butternut squash and apples fits the bill for the perfect autumn dinner dish. A sizzling hot skillet gives the chicken a browned skin, I use its juices to make a flavorful apple cider sauce, and then nestle diced butternut squash and apple slices around it. A 25-minute visit to the oven and one of my favorite farm dishes is ready to serve. Visit your favorite farmers market to provide some local flavor, and remem ber to pick up a loaf of crusty bread. You’ll want to soak up every bit of that apple cider sauce! Serves: 4 Prep Time: 30 minutes Baking/Cook Time: 35-45 minutes INGREDIENTS : • 28 oz. boneless, skin-on chicken breast (three to four breasts) • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika • ½ teaspoon ground cumin • ½ teaspoon black pepper • 1 teaspoon salt • 2½ cups diced butternut squash • 1 large Honeycrisp apple, skin-on, sliced • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 2 tablespoons flour • 1 cup apple cider • 1 tablespoon country-style mustard • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup • 1 tablespoon soy sauce • 4 sprigs fresh thyme for garnish

DISH AND DRINK

APPLE CIDER CHICKEN WITH APPLES AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH

INSTRUCTIONS : 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 2. Place chicken breasts between paper towels and pat dry. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, pa prika, cumin, pepper and salt. Smear the chicken breasts with the olive oil mixture to coat. 3. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter nut squash cubes with the sliced apple and remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil. 4. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet on medium high heat for four minutes. Carefully place the chicken pieces, skin-side down, in the pan. Cook without turning for up to five min utes or until the chicken skin turns a nice brown color. Turn chicken and cook for two more minutes. Place the chicken on a paper towel-lined plate. Reduce heat to medium. 5. Melt the butter in the cast-iron skillet used for the chicken. Sprinkle in flour. Cook for one minute, whisking constantly. 6. A dd the apple cider, mustard, maple syrup and soy sauce. Stir. Bring mix ture to a simmer.

7. P lace the chicken breasts, skin-side up, back into the pan. Disperse the squash and apple mixture evenly around the chicken. 8. Place the skillet into preheated oven. Roast for 25 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees. 9. C ut the chicken breasts into slices. Drizzle the apple cider sauce over the chicken and garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme Enjoy!

About our chef: Mary DiSomma lives in Oak Park and Cuba, Illinois. She is an author, publisher, philanthropist, podiatrist, entrepreneur, wife to Bill and mom to four adult children. She also appears on Peoria Magazine’s You Gotta See This! on WTVP PBS

OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 19

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bath-fitter.com/peoria 1 Tub-to-shower conversions and fiberglass replacements typically require a two-day installation. 2 Lifetime warranty valid for as long as you own your home. *Offer ends 12 /3 1 /2023. All offers apply to a complete Bath Fitter system only, and must be presented and used at time of estimate. Minimum purchase required. Terms of promotional financing are 24 months of no interest from the date of installation and minimum deposit. See representative for details. Qualified buyers only. May not be combined with other offers or applied to previous purchases. Valid only at select Bath Fitter locations. Offers and warranty subject to limitations. Fixtures and features may be different than pictured. Accessories pictured are not included. Plumbing work done by P.U.L.S.E. Plumbing. MD MPL #17499, NJ MPL #10655, DE MPL #PL-0002303, MD MPL #82842, VA MPL #2710064024, IA MPL #18066, OH MPL #37445, WV MPL #PL07514, MI MPL #8111651. PA HIC #PA017017, NJ HIC #13VH03073000, WV HIC #WV053085, MD HIC #129346, VA HIC #2705155694, MD HIC #122356, VA HIC #2705096759, IA HIC #C112725, WV HIC #WV038808, MD HIC #129995, VA HIC #2705146537, DC HIC #420213000044. Each Franchise Independently Owned And Operated By Bath Saver, Inc, LLC, Iowa Bath Solutions, LLC, Ohio Bath Solutions, LLC, Mid Atlantic Bath Solutions, LLC.

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20 OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

DISH AND DRINK

COCKTAIL CLASS Welcome back to Mixology 101 AN OLD-FASHIONED OLD FASHIONED

around town. Some are more sweet, or fruited, with adjuncts added, but we go the route of classic simplicity, allowing the spirit to shine! The Pour Bros. Old Fashioned opts for orange bitters instead of muddled fruit. We use Old Forester 100 proof bourbon along with Angostura bitters and finish with a Turbinado simple syrup. First, the INGREDIENTS: : • 2 oz. Old Forester 100 • 2 dashes Angostura bitters • 2 dashes orange bitters • 1/2 oz. Turbinado simple syrup Next, the PROCESS: Stir vigorously in a cocktail mixing glass filled with ice and then strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an amaretto cherry and orange twist.

T he Pendennis Club, a gentle men's club founded in 1881 in Louisville, Kentucky, claims the Old Fashioned cocktail was invented there. The recipe is said to have been created by a bartender at that club in honor of Colonel James E. Pepper, a prominent bourbon distiller, who brought it to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar in New York City. The first mention in print of "old fashioned cocktails" was in the Chicago Daily Tribune in February 1880, before the Pendennis Club was opened. With

Peoria’s early and rich distilling history, it’s pretty likely some early renditions of this classic cocktail were made with bourbon from our city! As many know, Pour Bros. is a craft beer bar known for our pour-your own-beer walls across Illinois. We don’t typically identify as your go-to mixology spot. However, cocktail connoisseurs are often surprised that we take such care in crafting cocktails using high quality ingredients made with purpose and consistency. You can be sure to find an Old Fashioned on most bar menus

About our mixologist: Phil Culbertson is general manager at Pour Bros. Craft Taproom in Peoria Heights, where he wears multiple hats such as the beer and spirits buyer, taste tester, keeper of the peace, vintage rags

dealer, stage crew, maintenance man, technology advisor, and curator of all things simple and old-fashioned!

OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 21

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Simply The Finest In Affordable Retirement Living NEW VILLA

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GET YOUR TICKETS!

Viennese Gala Peoria Civic Center Theater October 14, 2023 3:00 PM

Join the Peoria Symphony Orchestra for the first concert of the season! Featuring Maestro Stelluto & guest artist Robert Chen, Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s concertmaster. The concert hall will be filled with the familiar sounds of Rossini’s William Tell Overture, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, & Strauss Jr.’s beloved waltzes, polkas, & overture for a Viennese-style celebration of the season!

PEORIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA GEORGE STELLUTO, CONDUCTOR ROBERT CHEN, VIOLIN

CONCERT SPONSORS AND UNDERWRITERS:

The Meredith Foundation

Carl W. Soderstrom, MD

Sid & Flo Banwart

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

COME SEE ALL WE HAVE TO OFFER: libertyvillageofpeoria.com or libertyvillageofpekin.com CALL TO LEARN MORE OR SCHEDULE A VISIT: PEORIA 309.693.1400 or PEKIN 309.353.1600

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NOT-FOR-PROFIT PROVIDER

OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 23

MOM AND POP

A FAMILY AFFAIR Religious principles and solid business sense converge at Braker’s Market outside Eureka, a throwback to an earlier era

BY LISA COON PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

F amily vacations and stops at Amish markets where you could buy flour, sugar and other sta ples including candy in bulk and find unique home décor items, toys and clothing gave the Braker family of Eureka the spark of an idea for a future business opportunity. “As a family, we liked to stop at these types of stores and we thought it would be fun — on a much smaller scale — to operate one,” said Rebecca Braker, 47, who with her husband, Phil, 46, and their eight children own and operate Braker’s Market. With eight kids ages 6 to 24, a daugh ter-in-law, a son-in-law and three infant- and toddler-age granddaughters, it also offered the opportunity to work together as a family, said Phil.

BECOMING A DESTINATION The market sits on the south side of Route 24 off Cruger Road, just west of the Woodford County seat of Eureka. Motorists can’t miss what was a for mer cabinet-making business that now sports the body of an old red pickup truck on the roof. It’s nestled right next to the family’s Countryside Barns busi ness, which offers outdoor furniture, pergolas, gazebos and playsets. The family’s business plan, Phil ex plained, began with the barns in 2009. Furniture was added in 2016, followed by the playsets in 2017 and additional outdoor structures in 2019. Plans for the market came about after the Brakers purchased the building of the defunct cabinet-making business,

Owners of Braker’s Market, Phil and Rebecca Braker

24 OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

these hams that had been ordered. What are we going to do with all of these hams?” she said. “We decided to make Easter dinners to go.” That new business line took off imme diately, with the market offering other dinners to go, take-and-bake casseroles and other items in the freezer section and eventually catering. EVERYTHING AND THEN SOME In addition to stocking an untold number of goods, Braker’s Market has an eat-in café offering made-to-order deli and hot sandwiches, soups, hand dipped ice cream and flavored coffee. Daily lunch specials are available, along with indoor and outdoor seating. Their homemade cinnamon rolls, car amel rolls, pies, bread, cookies and rolls are in high demand, especially around the holidays. They also offer a variety of frozen homemade casseroles in ad dition to locally raised beef, pork and appetizers. But the market has more than just food. There are puzzles, books, tractors, dolls and wooden toys by Melissa & Doug, kitchenware such as Rada knives, World’s Best dish clothes, Nordic Ware baking pans and cookbooks, too. They also stock candles, lotions, soaps, baby clothes and gifts, décor items, vitamins, supplements, essential oils, Trim Healthy Mama products and long skirts and modest apparel that are hard to find elsewhere. CATCHING UP WITH THE DEMAND Earlier this year, the Brakers expanded the kitchen area and the freezer and re frigerator storage areas to accommodate their growth. Phil and Rebecca both acknowledge that they can’t keep up with the demand for baked goods and homemade food, areas that beg for expansion. The lo cation is landlocked, so future growth is just a dream for now.

Braker’s offers bulk baking ingredients, as well as jams and jellies.

Braker’s has an eat-in café offering made-to-order items.

along with the five acres upon which it sits, in 2019. “We had a lot of work to do on the building to switch it over to a market,” Phil said. The Brakers talked to a lot of store owners and vendors to understand what infrastructure was needed for the type of market they wanted. They knew they wanted to offer bulk bak ing ingredients, dry goods and candy, jams and jellies, coffee and tea, and an extensive deli with nearly 30 varieties of deli meats and 45 types of cheeses from their main food vendor, Walnut Creek Foods located in the heart of Amish Country in Walnut Creek, Ohio. “There’s really nothing like this in the area,” Phil said. CALLED TO SERVE The Braker family lives within a mile of their businesses and are members of the Apostolic Christian Faith Church of Eureka. The Brakers cite the vow at the core of their promise: “Every day we strive to bring you the best-quality goods and services. We endeavor to always be kind and fair and to treat every customer with integrity. By treating others the way we wish to be treated and ‘being as good as our word,’ our goal is to exceed the expectations of every customer. We believe that God has called us to serve.

It is our sincere desire to do this each day with joy and gratitude in our hearts.” “Faith means everything” to the fam ily, said Rebecca. “If there are things we can do to help our children by providing them with a good foundation, that’s what’s import ant,” she said. “We also feel it’s import ant to be a good light in our community.” A PRE-PANDEMIC ‘BLESSING’ Braker’s Market opened on Feb. 19, 2020. Yes, that was less than one month before the widespread shutdown of businesses and life in general due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Within a month, we pretty much panicked,” Rebecca acknowledged. “Within a month, things turned up side down,” added Phil. “We opened. Business dropped for a couple weeks and then it totally became a blessing.” In short order, business became brisk. “People just didn’t want to go to the big box stores,” said Phil. “In the end, God knew exactly what we needed.” And then an opportunity they hadn’t even planned to offer was born out of necessity, Rebecca said. “The Apostolic churches around here serve lunch on Sundays. All the churches had closed, and we had all

OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 25

Braker’s has an extensive deli with nearly 30 types of deli meat and 45 types of cheese

Jamie McFarlin, president of the Eure ka Business Association, said the market is a great asset to the community. ‘PROBABLY THE BEST THING: EVERY SINGLE PERSON IS SINCERE AND KIND AND TAKES CARE OF YOU ’ — Robyn Reinmann “We are very excited they are here,” she said. “They have a lot of support from the community. They stock things that aren’t necessarily able to be found in our community, and in bulk,” she said. “And the quality of items they offer for retail is really amazing.” Having the market “on this side of the river” makes it convenient, too, she said. Talk to customers of Braker’s Market and there’s a recurring theme: variety, friendliness, cleanliness, quality.

“We’ve been coming here since it opened,” said Holly Bour of Washing ton, who was shopping with her mom, Kathy Urban of Peoria. “It’s amazing all the unique things you can get here and the packaged dry goods and spices. Oh, and the candy. We love the candy aisle.” “It’s a fun place to come,” added Ur ban. “I always tell her when it’s time to make a run. And the deli and the prices are fabulous.” Shannon Isbell of Morton and Robyn Reinmann of Normal work in Metamora and make regular lunch runs to Brak er’s. “The quality. Everything is really good, and quick,” Reinmann said. “I love the grab-and-go deli meat and cheeses,” added Caroline Raney of Eu reka. “You can just grab the amount you need to feed the number you need … But probably the best thing: Every single person is sincere and kind and takes care of you. They make you feel good about coming in.”

Phil Braker appreciates that kind of feedback. “I told people I didn’t know if any one would walk in the doors when we opened,” he said. “Well, they did. Now the biggest thing is to listen to those customers.”

Lisa Coon is a Peoria native who had a long career in the newspaper industry before moving into marketing and communications

26 OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

Here For You When Life Changes

You’ve worked hard for your assets. You want them to grow and be protected so you can enjoy them now and preserve them as a legacy to share with the special people and places in your life. At CEFCU® Wealth Management, we agree! With Kevin Barbier — a local Trust & Investment Officer and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional — you’ll discuss: • What’s important to you — your goals and your values. • Strategies to make your money last and continually assess your plan for tax benefits, market changes, and risk tolerance. • Your existing investment portfolios to provide a second opinion. From retirement and estate planning to fee based investment management and asset protection trusts, Kevin has over 25 years of experience. He can work with your attorney, accountant, other trusted advisors, and even family members to help ensure your financial well-being and your legacy. For more information, go to cefcu.com/wealth or give Kevin a call at 309.633.3836 or 1.800.356.7865, ext. 33836.

Kevin Barbier, CFP ® Trust & Investment Management Officer

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CEFCU Wealth Management is a marketing name used by CEFCU. Trust and Investment Services provided by Members Trust Company, a federal thrift regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Non-deposit products offered through Members Trust Company. Not NCUA/NCUSIF/FDIC insured, May Lose Value, No Financial Institution Guarantee, Not a deposit of any financial institution.

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OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 27 12/9/2020 3:09:22 PM