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Winterberries
Have you ever noticed an icon when a candle is placed in front of it? The magical illumination of the gold in the saint’s halo or the gold trim on the garments, or perhaps the other-worldly look in the eyes and features of the faces depicted therein? It reminds me of what we tell our [...]
Earth's Quiet Slumber
October Newsletter Earth’s Quiet SlumberThe weather is changing and the landscape is heading toward dormancy. We see it all around us! The fall colors with their warm hues remind us that cooler seasons lie ahead leading us to winter and the earth’s quiet slumber.This month we celebrate our beloved saint from the island of Kefalonia, St. [...]
Dear Panagia
We look into your grave and behold, you are not there! Your Son has taken your body and precious soul to be next to Him in heaven. Your icon depicts your undergarment blue for your humanity, and the cloak you wear is red, depicting your holiness. You give us strength when we are weak, you [...]
Hymnography as Exegesis
Hymnology as ExegesisWhy is hymnology so important in the Orthodox Christian Faith? Imagine you didn’t read or write. You had heard and learned about Christianity, and you were convinced Christ was the Savior of the World. You entered an Orthodox Church and surrounding you were colorful images depicting Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection. Your [...]
Sing Praises to the Lord!
In our fast paced lives, we can easily forget that God has called us to a life of holiness… a life filled with prayer, worship and fasting, and a life lived differently than those around us. We are called to remember the precepts of God, to obey his commandments, and to love our neighbor. How can we do [...]
Leading a Christmas Pageant
As we approach the Christmas season, we musicians can offer to lead something very special with our youth: A Christmas Pageant! It can be as simple as reading the birth of Christ from the Bible and interspersing hymns throughout, or adapting an online play to reflect a more Orthodox perspective. Here are [...]
Drawing Close to Christ & Our Holy Orthodox Church
Everyday of our lives, we get to choose how we are going to spend our time. Time is a gift of our Lord, and it is both a blessing and a responsibility. What will I do today? Rise early? Make the most of the day? Sleep in and get some extra rest? Start the [...]
Let the Children Come to Me
“A holy hymn gives birth to piety of soul, creates a good conscience, and is accepted by God in the treasuries of the heavens.” - St. John Chrysostom “If one were to put all of the world’s most precious things on one side of a scale, and the Divine Liturgy on the other, the scales would tip [...]
Finding Peace in the Dormition
We live in a fast paced and ever-changing society. What was held as true yesterday may not necessarily be held true today. But the Truth of Christ and the Holy Orthodox Church does not change from day-to-day, year-to-year, century-to-century or even millennia-to-millennia, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) This [...]