The Apostles’ Life: No Pain No Gain

Presvytera Melanie DiStefano It is arguably one of the most “under-rated” Feast days of our Ecclesiastical Year – The Feast of the Apostles; and yet, it is through these 12 men and the line...
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By Presvytera Melanie DiStefano 06/26/2020 feast days call of god marriage and family parenting special needs feast of the apostles History History 373 Views

What Three Days Without Running Water Taught Me About Being Thankful

I never realized what a luxury it is to be able to flip on the water to wash our hands or dishes, to be able to flush a toilet, or step into the shower...until a pipe burst in our basement!
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By Family Care 06/23/2020 marriage and family History History 341 Views

Racism and Orthodox Christianity in America: A Modern Commentary

In light of recent tragic acts of racism and brutality — including the heinous execution of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, the murder of a black man simply for jogging in Georgia, and the weaponizing of the police against a black man in New York City, I humbly offer this blog entry, taken from a speech I presented in October 2019, which highlights racism and the Orthodox Christian Church in the USA today.
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By Nicholas Anton 06/03/2020 faith matters racism equality equity protest History History 1896 Views

That's a Wrap! Celebrating the Sunday Church School Year

Suggestions for ending the 2020 Church School and Parish Ministry year...
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By Angeliki Constantine 05/29/2020 religious education graduation History History 679 Views

TOWARD A SOCIAL ETHOS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH A New Document of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

In January 2020, the Ecumenical Patriarchate approved a social document crafted by a theological commission that was charged with formulating general parameters and guiding principles for the role of the Orthodox Church as well as the responsibility of Orthodox Christians in the modern world.
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By Fr. John Chryssavgis 05/28/2020 ecumenical patriarch faith matters social ethos History History 959 Views

Ascension and Pentecost

As we get closer to observing the Feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost, a closer look at their origins is timely. If you like solving puzzles, the upcoming feasts of Ascension and Pentecost...
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By Rev. Dr. Tony Vrame 05/15/2020 religious education scripture new testament liturgical year feast of pentecost feast of ascension History History 545 Views

Orthodox Perspective on the Ministry of the Church Online

Rev. Dr. Nicolas Kazarian * New York City is still the epicenter of the pandemic and people continue to “shelter in place.” Our churches remain closed. However, parishes of the Greek...
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By Rev. Dr. Nicolas Kazarian 05/12/2020 faith matters worship ministry online orthodoxy History History 710 Views

What Does God Have in Store for Us?

What might the Lord have in store for us as we seek him through our prayerful rhythms in the privacy of our own homes? Be ready: we could be in for something we don’t expect.
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By Family Care 05/12/2020 marriage and family History History 679 Views

Isaiah the Prophet

The Orthodox Church commemorates Isaiah the Prophet on May 9. Isaiah is often considered the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. Christians often refer to the Book of Isaiah as the “fifth...
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By Rev. Dr. Tony Vrame 05/08/2020 religious education old testament isaiah prophets History History 416 Views

Who Were Joseph and Nicodemus

At the beginning of the Gospel lesson for the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearers we hear how Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate to request the body of Jesus so it could receive burial. In the Gospel of...
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By Rev. Dr. Tony Vrame 05/04/2020 religious education bible study new testament History History 496 Views

The Myrrh-bearing Women: Fearless Females

The Myrrh-bearing women are my personal heroes. If I spent a lifetime praying about it and trying to follow their example, I might hope to say that I, too, carried through the most difficult moments of my life with half as much faith, duty, bravery, and good works as they did.
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By Family Care 04/30/2020 women sunday of myrrh bearers resurrection marriage and family hero History History 1355 Views

Consensus Parenting

Certainly, parents carry the burden of responsibility for the decisions, consequences, and overall well-being of the family. But do we welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit in the process? Do we offer reasonable choices to even the youngest members of our family, allowing them to discern the risks and rewards of their decisions in the short run and the long term?
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By Fr. Alexander Goussetis 04/28/2020 pascha marriage and family parenting History History 1292 Views

Church at Home

These days of staying at home and practicing our faith at home have in some respects given us an experience of the New Testament church. In the Acts of the Apostles and the letters of St....
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By Rev. Dr. Tony Vrame 04/24/2020 religious education church at home dura-europos new testament History History 625 Views

Palm Sunday at Home

  Growing up, one of my favorite parts of my parish’s Holy Week preparations was gathering together a day or two before Palm Sunday in order to fold palm branches into palm crosses! It was...
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By Angeliki Constantine 04/10/2020 religious education religious education at home History History 991 Views

Lamb of God

How do we understand the phrase, "lamb of God" when we apply it to Christ? How does the Orthodox Church use this term in its liturgical life?
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By Rev. Dr. Tony Vrame 04/10/2020 religious education great lent jesus christ holy week bible study History History 646 Views

St Mary of Egypt

What can we learn about repentance and the experience of the desert from the life of St. Mary of Egypt?
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By Rev. Dr. Tony Vrame 04/10/2020 religious education great lent repentance st mary of egypt History History 535 Views

St John Climacus in 2020

In light of the stay at home orders during Great Lent, we're all monastics now. What can we learn from the life of St John Climacus, remembered on the fourth Sunday of Lent.
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By Rev. Dr. Tony Vrame 04/10/2020 religious education great lent sunday of st john climacus st john climacus monastic life History History 569 Views

A Study of the Crucifix Icon

A study of the icon of the Cross of Christ, useful for the Third Sunday of Great Lent.
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By Rev. Dr. Tony Vrame 04/10/2020 religious education great lent icons cross History History 518 Views

The Gift of Life

Last night I lay down with my son at bedtime, holding his hand as is our usual routine. He had suffered a nasty virus the past week and his normal fitful sleeping pattern was even more...
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By Presvytera Melanie DiStefano 02/12/2020 life trust parenting special needs History History 1071 Views

I Surrender!...to Motherhood

It is a miraculous gift from God to be able to bring a child into this world, one that I thank Him for every single day. I never thought I was capable of this type of overwhelming love until I met...
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By Family Care 01/15/2020 marriage and family History History 1416 Views

Theophany Reflections for the Special Need’s Parent

For much of my son’s nearly 16-year lifespan, I have begged for miracles. Many I have received, and countless have always been - though I took them for granted. His struggles often help me to see...
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By Presvytera Melanie DiStefano 01/06/2020 theophany trust marriage and family special needs History History 1559 Views

How to Increase Oratorical Festival Participation

Introduced in 1983, the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival provides Greek Orthodox teenagers the opportunity to write and talk about their faith. Over 200 parishes and 1,000 participants...
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By Stephanie Orfanakos 01/03/2020 sunday school st. john oratorical festival st. john chrysostom oratorical festival History History 1856 Views

Thank Full

By Presvytera Melanie DiStefano   In my peripheral vision I noticed 5-year-old Gabriel looking in my son’s direction during Divine Liturgy. He was curiously studying some behavior...
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By Presvytera Melanie DiStefano 11/27/2019 faith matters gratitude beauty special needs History History 1557 Views

Oratorical Festival Through the Years

By: Athina Vella – St. Andrew’s Church Randolph, NJ     Every year, the host church for the St. John Chrysostom National Oratorical Festival asks previous national finalists in...
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By Stephanie Orfanakos 11/16/2019 sunday school st. john oratorical festival st. john chrysostom oratorical festival History History 2143 Views

THANKSGIVING

THANKSGIVING AND STEWARDSHIP by Fr Alexander G. Leondis We are found in the season of Thanksgiving when we offer gratitude to God as a nation and as individuals for His...
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By Stewardship & Outreach 11/01/2019 stewardship ministries History History 1708 Views

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